A large percentage of the African population is involved in one or more forms of farming. The industry provides equal opportunities for all classes of people across the continent. As such, Africa has one of the world’s largest and most inclusive agricultural value chains.
The value chain is even more prominent in the southern region of the continent, where several forward-thinking companies have emerged and are implementing innovations to improve agricultural processes and practices.
Here, we’ve identified 12 ag-tech startup companies redefining farming practices and food distribution in Southern Africa.
Aerobotics
Year Founded: 2014
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Aerobotics is a leading technology company significantly impacting agriculture and forestry development in Africa. The company takes a cutting-edge approach that utilizes aerial imagery and data analytics to optimize farming and forestry practices.
Aerobotics harnesses the power of drones and machine learning algorithms to revolutionize how farmers and foresters manage their plants. The company offers drone-based aerial surveys and advanced data analytics platforms as its primary products to farmers. These products work in tandem to provide invaluable insights to users.
Aerobotics is transforming the agricultural and forestry communities in Southern Africa by empowering farmers with precise and real-time data. They help farmers make informed decisions about irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. With their innovative solutions, Aerobotics is driving positive change and fostering a more sustainable future for agriculture.
Livestock Wealth
Year Founded: 2015
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Livestock Wealth is an innovative agri-tech company revolutionizing the livestock industry. The company is pioneering the concept of crowd-farming, which allows individuals to invest in livestock and reap the benefits of farming without owning or directly managing the animals.
The primary product offered by Livestock Wealth is its crowd-farming platform. Through this digital infrastructure, investors can purchase and own shares in herds of cattle, goats, or sheep. The company then partners with local farmers, who take care of the livestock, while Investors get to track the growth and well-being of their animals through the platform.
Livestock Wealth’s platform has democratized farming, allowing individuals without agricultural backgrounds to participate in an asset class traditionally limited to large-scale farmers.
By making farming accessible to a broader community of investors and promoting sustainable and ethical practices, the company is positively impacting rural economies, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
FarmTrace
Year Founded: 2015
Location: Limpopo, South Afrca
FarmTrace is a leading agri-tech company revolutionizing the agricultural value chain with innovative solutions. The startup provides advanced traceability and transparency technology, which enables farmers, retailers, and consumers to access real-time information about farm products and processes.
FarmTrace’s primary product is a comprehensive ERP system, a traceability platform allowing users to track and trace product value. The company integrates all production activities into this single cloud-based management platform.
FarmTrace is driving profound impacts on communities and the agriculture industry. Its platform empowers agricultural value chain players to make informed choices, supporting ethical and sustainable practices. This incentivizes farmers to adopt more efficient production and distribution methods, thus improving their processes.
Maltento
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Maltento is a visionary Agri-Bio-tech company creating solutions to improve agricultural yield and food supply by developing improved farm inputs. The company creates clean, traceable, functional feed compounds and ingredients for livestock and pet farmers.
Maltento primarily uses spent grain, a co-product from brewing processes, as a sustainable and traceable input for their innovative products. As a B2B support solution, Maltento collaborates closely with its customers, providing them with high-proteinous feeds for their animals. Their functional products are specifically designed for the Pet Food, Poultry, and Aquaculture segments.
Maltento’s innovation also uses insects for its transformative process. These insects, fed with spent grain, efficiently convert it into protein derivatives. This process reduces waste, fosters circular economy principles, and creates a clean and traceable source of high-quality protein for animal feed.
AgriPredict
Year Founded: 2016
Location: Lusaka, Zambia
AgriPredict is an agri-tech company driving revolutionary improvements in the agricultural sector. The startup harnesses artificial intelligence and data science to provide farmers with actionable insights and personalized recommendations for their processes.
AgriPredict’s primary product is an advanced predictive analytics platform. Through the platform, the company gathers and analyzes vast amounts of data, including weather patterns, soil conditions, historical crop performance, and market trends. It then uses the data to generate real-time predictions and forecasts, enabling farmers to anticipate potential risks, plan better, and adopt precision agriculture techniques.
By integrating cutting-edge technology with traditional farming practices, AgriPredict empowers farmers to make informed decisions, optimize crop yields, and enhance farm efficiency. As it supports farmers in making informed decisions, the platform aids in stabilizing food production and supply chains.
Agri Technovation South Africa
Year Founded: 2014
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
AgriTechnovation is a company driven by a profound passion for precision farming and its transformative potential for every farmer. The company has a team of specialists with expertise in agronomy, horticulture, soil science, microbiology, geographic information systems, chemistry, process and production engineering. United by their love for agriculture and cutting-edge technology, AgriTechnovation offers a sustainable solution for profitable farming.
At the heart of AgriTechnovation’s infield services are innovative offerings such as MYSOIL CLASSIFICATION, ITEST SOIL, ITEST LEAF, and ITEST WATER. These services provide comprehensive insights into soil, leaf, and water health, gathering crucial data to help farmers make informed decisions about crop production and soil management.
AgriTechnovation has developed the MYFARMWEB data platform to facilitate seamless data management and access. This cloud-based platform allows producers to centralize agricultural information captured throughout the entire production process.
With its holistic approach to precision farming and the integration of advanced technology with local knowledge, AgriTechnovation aims to bring the essence of “AT-ness” to every farmer.
Khula
Year Founded: 2016
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Khula is an Agro-commerce startup facilitating the easy exchange of goods in the agricultural value chain. The company directly connects farmers and food processors with buyers, streamlining the supply chain and fostering sustainable and efficient trade relationships.
Khula operates a user-friendly online marketplace. This platform empowers farmers and food producers to showcase their products, access a broader customer base, and establish direct connections with potential buyers. By eliminating intermediaries, Khula enables farmers to receive fair prices for their products and allows buyers to procure fresh, high-quality produce directly from the source.
Khula is focused on creating a seamless trading experience for agriculture and food businesses. The company promotes inclusive economic growth in rural communities by empowering local farmers and food producers.
SwiftVee
Year Founded: 2017
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
SwiftVee is a leading agri-tech company making a remarkable impact on the livestock industry in South Africa. The startup is revolutionizing how farmers care for their animals using data-driven insights and innovative solutions.
SwiftVee provides cutting-edge technology that optimizes livestock management, enhances animal welfare, and improves farm productivity. It operates advanced livestock monitoring systems incorporating IoT devices and wearable sensors to collect real-time data on individual animals’ health, behavior, and performance. Farmers can access this data through intuitive dashboards and mobile applications.
The data-driven approach of SwiftVee’s systems allows farmers to make informed decisions based on real-time insights. By optimizing feeding and breeding practices, farmers can increase the efficiency of their operations, reducing costs and resource wastage.
Inseco
Year Founded: 2017
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Inseco is a pioneering Agri-biotechnology company developing sustainable and innovative solutions for improving farming outputs. The company produces insect-based proteins and animal feeds for livestock farmers in South Africa.
Inseco leverages the transformative power of Black Soldier Flies to convert low-value organic by-products into valuable insect-based proteins, lipids, fertilizers, and chitosan. These products find application across diverse industries, including animal feed, pet food, and fertilizers for crop production.
With its forward-thinking approach, the company aims to transform organic waste into valuable resources, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable future for agriculture.
Nile
Year Founded: 2020
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Nile is a visionary company revolutionizing the food trading landscape in Africa and beyond. Nile aims to bridge the gap between food producers and consumers, making healthy food accessible to people across the continent.
The company operates a digital marketplace connecting agricultural output producers and consumers. Nile’s platform addresses vital aspects such as price discovery, quality verification, payments, and traceability.
Nile envisages a future where African food producers can seamlessly access the markets with the greatest demand for their products. As such, the company is dedicated to transforming food trading in Africa and creating a brighter future for food producers, consumers, and communities.
Nambu Group
Year Founded: 2018
Location: Makhanda / Grahamstown
Nambu is an Agri-biotechnology company leveraging advanced waste management practices for sustainable animal feed production. The company harnesses the natural capabilities of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens) larvae, commonly known as BSFL, to convert food waste into high-value feed for various animals.
Nambu rears Black Soldier Fly larvae, which efficiently consume a diverse range of food and organic waste products. After separating them from their feed substrate, Nambu offers the option to sell live larvae directly to local farmers or further process them into dried larvae or meals for the broader feed industry.
Using food waste for insect rearing promotes nutrient recycling and mitigates waste’s environmental impact, driving regenerative agricultural practices. Nambu seeks to bolster a more resilient and sustainable food system by maximizing insect protein production.
InteliGro Crop Solutions
Year Founded:
Location: Wellington, WC, South Africa
InteliGro Crop Solutions is a leading agri-tech company reimagining agricultural industry operations with innovative and data-driven solutions. The company focuses on precision agriculture, which empowers farmers to make data-backed decisions, optimize crop yields, and improve overall farm efficiency.
InteliGro’s suite of precision agriculture solutions includes sensors, drones, and machine learning algorithms to collect and analyze real-time data about soil health, crop growth, and environmental factors.
InteliGro provides farmers with data-driven insights, tailored recommendations, and advanced technology. That way, it empowers them to optimize their crop production and resource management. InteliGro’s commitment to sustainable and profitable farming practices sets it apart as a transformative force in agriculture.
