The Green Growth AgriHack, held from October 18–20, 2024, in Kampala, Uganda, marked a significant step forward in merging technology with sustainable agriculture. Organized by Garage48, StartHub Africa, and the National ICT Innovation Hub, the event saw over 100 participants from diverse backgrounds, including tech developers, engineers, and agronomy experts, all converging to tackle some of Uganda’s most pressing agricultural challenges. Teams joined from all over Uganda, showing that the impact reaches far beyond Kampala.
For Garage48, organizing the #agritech hackathon wasn't the first time, and it was great to explore that topic in Uganda, where 70% of the workforce relies on agriculture for their livelihood.
The hackathon program aimed to address Uganda’s critical agricultural challenges through digital, sustainable solutions aligned with the Global Gateway's goals. As 70% of Uganda’s workforce relies on agriculture, this sector needs modernization to boost productivity and economic impact. By supporting young entrepreneurs in agritech, the initiative fosters tech adoption and aligns with the EU's Global Gateway strategy to empower local economies and create green, inclusive digital advancements globally. This effort is backed by mentorship, funding, and development support for promising solutions to make a tangible difference in Uganda's agricultural landscape.
Uganda's agricultural sector holds immense potential, but it's held back by several pressing challenges that limit productivity and the country’s ability to tap into export markets fully. Small-scale farmers, who make up the backbone of Uganda's agriculture, face obstacles like poor seed and fertilizer quality, outdated irrigation systems, inadequate storage, and limited quality control measures. On top of that, many lack access to modern farming knowledge and data-driven practices. These barriers not only hold back individual farmers but also weaken the resilience of Uganda’s agriculture to climate change.
However, new approaches and technology could turn some of these challenges into opportunities. Agritech solutions can transform farming in Uganda by providing tools that boost yields, improve crop quality, and streamline farming operations. And that’s precisely what this hackathon was about—empowering young Ugandans to create practical, sustainable, tech-based solutions to strengthen their country’s agriculture and food security.
“Uganda is Africa’s leading entrepreneurial country, known for a vibrant, open economy that pushes young people to be job creators rather than job seekers,” says Yusuf Mutamba, Garage48's old friend and a mentor for this hackathon.
Yusuf also highlights that agritech and fintech are two key sectors driving Uganda’s growth, sparking new opportunities and economic development across the nation. The hackathon aimed to inspire this entrepreneurial spirit, giving young innovators the tools and mentorship they need to tackle Uganda’s agricultural challenges head-on and bring about lasting change.
A 48-hour hackathon was held to tackle critical challenges in agriculture. The event gathered talented innovators and experts to develop practical digital solutions for sustainable agriculture, focusing on climate adaptation, market stability, farmer education and disease management. During the 48-hour hackathon, teams worked intensively to build and prototype their solutions. They validated their ideas with potential end-users and received ongoing support from mentors. Progress checkpoints helped keep teams on track, and mentors reviewed their work, offering targeted feedback. Mentor Stephen S. Musoke emphasized that the regular check-ins were crucial, assisting participants in staying on track and speeding up development, which elevated projects to a greater level of completion and readiness. Before the finals, teams practiced their pitch skills in front of mentors, who provided constructive criticism.
"This hackathon was an eye-opening event that helped you explore different skills and viewpoints. As data analysts, we met people from various backgrounds, saw their work, and learnt about helpful programs like those from Startup Hub Africa. It was very inspiring, and we recommend hackathons to everyone!"
Kayabula Hamzah
Team Rimotly
Their hard work paid off as all 25 teams successfully presented their prototypes on Sunday evening, showcasing innovative, real-world solutions developed through intense collaboration.
"The participants were genuinely motivated and dedicated to solving real-world problems. Rather than creating trivial apps, they focused on developing solutions that address significant challenges. It was refreshing to witness such a strong commitment to impactful innovation."
Martin Verrev
Mentor
And the winning team is …
GrinTech: This team emerged as the winner with their solar-powered smart food dehydrator. The solution aims to tackle post-harvest food loss, a significant issue in Uganda. By using solar energy and smart sensors, the device carefully monitors temperature and humidity, ensuring optimal drying conditions for various crops. The GrinTech solution not only prevents food wastage but also supports small-scale farmers by extending the shelf life of their produce, enhancing food security.
As they look ahead to the bootcamp and acceleration program, GrinTech plans to refine their prototype using the necessary materials and conducting functionality tests. Their goal is to ensure that the dehydrator performs as envisioned. They are also eager to deepen their knowledge of business and finance, scale up production, and ultimately establish GrinTech as a profitable enterprise for its users.
Teams that earned their spot at Latitude59 in Kenya:
HyMonitor: a storage management system for crops. This technology monitors the conditions in storage facilities, guiding farmers on optimal storage techniques to reduce losses and maintain crop quality.
MicroVest: an online platform that connects small farmers to markets and essential financial services. Through platform, farmers can access direct market links, financial support, and advisory services, allowing them to scale their operations and improve livelihoods.
Four additional standout teams earned a place in the follow-up boot camp:
AgriLink: a multilingual USSD & SMS-based platform that provides smallholder farmers with market prices, weather updates, and best practices.
Hydroponics: an innovative hydroponic garden system that enables small farmers to grow nutritious food with water-efficient methods.
The Eco Flash Dryer: utilizes cassava plant waste as fuel to dry cassava, providing a sustainable processing solution.
Farm Quest: uses AI and AR to make farming education engaging for youth, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
The People’s Choice Award went to Harvest Link, a project that received overwhelming support from participants for its outstanding approach to sustainable farming.
What’s next for These Teams?
During the November boot camp, teams will improve their ideas and create an action plan for the next six months. The top five teams will receive funding to develop their products or services and will join a six-month accelerator program for more development and testing. Teams will also get administrative support, mentorship, and networking opportunities with the hackathon organizers, helping them build a strong foundation for innovation in agricultural technology. Mentor Yusuf Mutamba highlights the importance of this kind of structure:
"A solid post-event plan is vital for a successful hackathon journey. The hackathon marks the beginning; consistency drives us from point A to point B and beyond. Without a vision for what lies after point A, teams can face significant challenges. It’s crucial for teams to fully grasp their next steps."
Mentor
It is essential for the journey to continue beyond the hackathon; teams must persist in their efforts to bring their projects to completion.
"Very good that prize money is based on achieving specific targets - it’s not handed out as cash upfront but distributed as grants in the acceleration phase. This means you still need to put in the effort and prove yourself during the acceleration process. It's not just about winning, taking the money, and walking away; you have to accomplish something first."
Ham Lubega
Starthub Africa
#TheGreenGrowthAgriHack connected local innovators with global tech resources. This partnership helps build agricultural resilience, food security, and eco-friendly practices in Uganda and beyond. The projects that started during this hackathon can develop into effective solutions that will shape the future of agriculture in the region. We are excited to see how these innovators will continue to advance sustainable agriculture and create a lasting impact. Stay tuned for updates on their journey and progress.
A huge thank you to everyone involved in the event. We couldn’t do it without our co-organizers, organizing crew, project managers, mentors or participants.
Big thanks to the Estonian Centre for International Development for their invaluable support in bringing this event to life!
Joao Rei - Host, business and marketing mentor
Yusuf Mutamba - Project Manager @ Smart Africa (Startup funding and investments)
Martin Verrev - Early Stage Researcher, Applied Artificial Intelligence Group and Lecturer @ TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology
Amos Mpungu - Principal IT Officer @ Ministry of ICT and National Guidance
Bart Comille - D4D Innovation Expert
Fransisca Silivano Mwakinyali - Agricultural Innovation Lead @ Starthub Africa
Primera Muthoni - Manager, Product & Business @ Centenary Technology Services Development
Noah Mesfin - Venture Development @ Starthub Africa
Stephen S Musoke - Technical Lead @ Onafriq
Mari Hanikat - CEO @ Garage48
