Top Priorities:
Systems and platforms (e.g., carbon finance tools) that overcome adoption barriers and incentivize farmers to transition to regenerative and conservation agriculture practices.
Nature-based, scalable solutions for retaining water in watershed soil, including reforestation, soil conservation, real-time soil water status monitoring, and groundwater recharge measurements. [Focus: Uganda & Tunisia]
Data tools, microfinance, traceability platforms, and HREDD (Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence) solutions that connect cooperatives and smallholder farmers to global supply chains while reducing inclusion costs. [Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa]
Drought-resistant and heat-tolerant agricultural systems (including deep-root and reduced-evapotranspiration varieties), coupled with efficient irrigation and early prediction models for pest and disease outbreaks. [Focus: Uganda]
Smart energy storage, low-carbon cooling, solar refrigeration, and biogas/biodigester technologies specifically adapted for food, drink, and agribusiness SMEs operating with unreliable grid conditions. [Focus: East Africa]
Other Areas of Interest:
- Rapid, low-cost farm baselining and soil testing, alongside systems to strengthen alliance building, farmers' commercial decision-making, harvest/post-harvest processes, and overall business resilience. [Focus: Uganda]
- Low-carbon agricultural inputs and fertilizers, alternative livestock/fish feeds, crop by-product reuse (e.g., biochar or reducing open burning), and innovative manure storage reduction. [Focus: Uganda]
- Sludge dryers (specifically addressing the stone sludge problem), wastewater treatment technologies, and initiatives promoting personal hygiene and care (WASH) in underserved communities. [Focus: East Africa]
- Profitable agro-forestry systems and solutions balancing wetland conservation with productive uses like aquaculture or rice farming. [Focus: Uganda]