It is with great joy and pride to say Africa is mounting the digitalization hill and none of the 54 countries seems to tire of the climb. From the emergence of mobile money in East Africa to the use of drone technology in monitoring farmland activities in Ghana, all seem as ground-breaking as the other digital operations executed in Africa.

Through the years East Africa has seen a surge in fintech exceeding expectations; services such as M-Pawa in Tanzania, M-Shwari and M-Pesa in Kenya (offered by  Vodacom Tanzania and Safaricom Kenya respectively) has not only digitalized financing en masse for the unbanked but enabled digitalization in East Africa to soar to new heights.

This context begs East Africa to take a deeper look on how the entire plethora of digital technology shapes or could shape, the future of East Africa—which is, of course, aspiring to execute its Africa Agenda 2063 and implementing 2030 Agenda for  Sustainable Development.

In the landscape of green technology (green tech), which is the use of available technology and science to produce clean and environmentally friendly products, Africa seems to have an idea on how far it wants to go.

However, with vital actors in the digital world, such as Terrence Singh, a fintech connector sporting the best for Africa, it is crucial to identify the areas Africa does best in and maximize the digitalization magnifying glass on those aspects.

“In this part of the world, many of the players’ business models have had to account for the giant leap forward in technology and telecommunications. Africa has jumped from no telecommunications to mobile telecommunications at the same time that technology has enabled e-Commerce. Some of the most innovative banking and financial IT solutions are being developed in and for Africa. And, of course, issues like financial inclusion and micro-insurance are more likely to be resolved in Africa than in Silicon Valley” Singh comments, according to MatchBiz publication.

What about Green Tech?

In that context, it is of paramount importance to associate the power that digitalization has towards problem-solving. Now the big question comes, what aspect of green tech ought East Africa to attack first?

Who does not want to live in the cleanest and most organized cities in East Africa? That question could be asked in the next coming decades and countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania will likely race against time to make that happen.

Kenya could be the leading torch in green technologies; this is according to the predictions made by former World Bank Group director of innovation and current country director to Colombia and Mexico, Gerardo Corrochano, in 2012.

“Kenya is quickly adopting green technologies due to a huge appetite and spirit from entrepreneurs eager to tap into emerging opportunities,” Corrochano said in Nairobi on September 26, 2012, at the launch of the Climate Innovation Center (CIC) estimated to cost $12 million.

At the moment, some of Kenya’s very own startups are taking keen interest towards clean energy. Startups such as SolarFreeze have demonstrated how decentralized solar-powered cold storage could transform villagers’ lives.

In Rwanda, drones are starting to be the new normal in tracing and identifying poor farming practices and providing services for better farming methodologies to increase crop yields. According to a publication by FreshPlaza, a global media platform for fresh produce and market trends, Charis Unmanned Aerial Solutions, a company started by young Rwandan nationals, was demonstrating the potential of drones in driving agricultural output.

“Together with my colleagues we have been helped to interpret drone findings through photo displays that described the status of our plantations in red, yellow and blue colours,” Helene Mukayuhi, a smallholder farmer said.

Through drone technology, she found out that her fertilizer application was wrong, dwindling her yield, presenting her with an advantage towards her farming operations.

High-yielding farming practices present rather complex challenges to some African communities; drones present simplified versions of understanding these complexities, such as fertilizer application, weed management and yield predictions.

READ:Agritech to boost agriculture in Ethiopia

East Africa Fruits Company, a Tanzanian based agritech startup showcased the nature of resilience and displaying the potential of  fresh produce supply challenges for smallholder farmers, after securing a $3.1 million funding from Series A, to develop a technology leveraged supply chain of produce from farmers to the urban marketplace, a chronic problem haunting smallholder farmers across Tanzania.

“We’re eager to scale our operations, expand the reach of our smallholder farmer network and our distribution footprint, and ultimately to demonstrate real impact in the lives of local farmers and informal food vendors,” said Elia Timetheo, co-founder of East Africa Fruits.

This is not a surprise as in December 2019, Twiga, a similar startup in Kenya drew $29 million in funding.

Kilimo Fresh, a digital fresh produce supplier presents an inspiring taste of how agri-tech could transform the farming landscape in Tanzania if executed sustainably.

Kilimo Fresh utilizes the digital pool, where via its carefully-organized website any interested party across the globe can be served with fruits, vegetables and dry foods to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, institutions, wholesalers and export markets; with a full range of conventional, organic and high-quality produce grown by smallholder farmers from the rich soils of Southern Tanzania to the Northern Highlands and across to Tanzania’s coastal regions.

This means more value can be added to smallholder farmers if such innovations are widespread in Tanzania, and are developed with a thought to sustainability. Hence, these startups led by young innovators provide exemplary solutions towards food security, produce management, on-farm management, and marketing than ever before.

With the presence of regional funding pools such as the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, AgriPitch Challenge by African Development Fund (AfDB), young innovators can expand their reach and maximize their problem-solving techniques to widen the use of digital technology in transforming lives.

Whether it is on renewable energy, smart-farming or water quality management, there is ample room for East Africa to capitalize on the potential of digitalization and transform the region.

READ:Agritech – the future of Africa