The Sustainable Smallholder Solutions foundation has opened the GAEA agrotechnological academy.

Clinton Inene, communications manager of the foundation, announced the creation of the GAEA academy. The goal of this educational project is to transform the innovative ideas of young specialists into sustainable agribusiness projects. The training will include expert sessions, mentorship support, and access to professional resources. According to a statement by FSSS Executive Director Isaiah Gabriel, the initiative aims to expand opportunities for youth and accelerate innovation in the food systems of African countries.

During the seminar, industry experts discussed approaches to developing agricultural entrepreneurship. Aisha Sidi, CEO of Grabb Livestock, recommended that young innovators focus on solving specific problems faced by farmers rather than implementing technologies for the sake of technology itself. As an example, she cited her company’s experience, where they replaced a web platform with a USSD solution to expand access to services for rural residents with limited digital literacy. This change allowed the company to increase the number of farmers served from 2,000 to 50,000.

Dayo Akinbami, co-founder of Agrofount, emphasized the importance of data collection and analysis. In his view, high-quality information on farmers' activities is essential for improving access to financing and optimizing management decision-making. In turn, panelist Alabi noted the shortage of agricultural extension specialists. He suggested viewing the lack of personnel in the advisory services sector as an opportunity to develop scalable digital tools. According to him, promising areas for young entrepreneurs, in addition to production, include logistics, market access, financing, and the creation of agricultural data exchange systems.