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Esther Kimani, the 2022 YouthADAPT winner, received the prestigious 2024 African Engineering Innovation Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering on June 13 in Nairobi, Kenya. YouthADAPT is funded by the African Development Bank (African Development Bank) and the Global Adaptation Hub under the Africa Adaptation Accelerator Program (AAAP)https://apo-opa.co/3XZTJch).
Innovative solutions for smallholder farmers
Kimani’s award-winning invention is an advanced early detection system designed to quickly detect crop pests and diseases, which can reduce crop losses by up to 30% and increase yields by 40%. This device is a revolutionary solution for smallholder farmers in Kenya, who typically lose about 33% of their crops to pests and diseases.
The solar-powered device uses cutting-edge computer vision algorithms and machine learning to identify crop pests and diseases. It provides real-time alerts within seconds of detection and offers customized intervention recommendations via text message. It also notifies government agricultural officials to adopt broader pest management strategies. The device can be leased for just $3 per month, offering an affordable alternative to traditional, expensive methods such as drone surveillance or manual inspections.
About the Africa Prize
The African Engineering Innovation Award was established by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2014 to support scalable and sustainable engineering solutions to Africa’s challenges. After a decade of development, the award’s winners now include nearly 150 entrepreneurs from 23 countries. These innovators have created more than 28,000 jobs and impacted more than 10 million people across the continent.
Our goal is to increase the income of smallholder farmers, especially women smallholder farmers
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Prize, the Royal Academy of Engineering hosted an Alumni Reunion, bringing together 100 past winners and finalists for three days of special events, highlighting the strength and unity of the community.
Esther Kimani’s Vision
Esther Kimani gives some personal background to explain her innovation. “Growing up, my parents would lose up to 40% of their crops each season, which severely affected our living standards. Our goal is to help smallholder farmers, especially women, increase their income. Our goal is to reach one million farmers in the next five years.”
Kimani received £50,000 to further develop her innovation, the largest prize ever awarded in the Africa Prize’s 10th anniversary year. During the event, the finalists presented their business plans to an audience of around 700 people.
Other winners
The three runners-up each received £15,000:
Eco-tiles by Kevin Mana (Kenya): a roofing material made from recycled plastic that addresses plastic pollution and high construction costs.
La Ruche Health by Rory Assandey (Cote d’Ivoire): AI chatbot “Kiko” provides essential health information and services as well as digital backend solutions to healthcare providers.
Yo-Waste by Martin Tumusimi (Uganda): A mobile application that connects households and businesses with independent waste collection agents for efficient waste management.
Dr Abubakari Zarouk Imoro received the One to Watch Award, voted for by the audience both in person and online. The award recognises the far-reaching impact his innovation has had on the valorisation of waste and biomass in local communities. The award, established in 2024 in memory of the late Martin Bruce, a Ghanaian alumnus of the Africa Prize, carries a £5,000 prize.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
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