West Africa
Agri-Food Challenge
Test. Connect. Scale.
How can we accelerate the development and adoption of innovative, resilient agricultural solutions by leveraging scientific expertise?
The West Africa Agri-Food Challenge is an initiative designed to accelerate the development and adoption of innovations in the agriculture and agri-food sectors in Benin, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, with the goal of strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food systems across West Africa.
The initiative supports early-stage and growth-stage innovators developing science-based solutions by connecting them directly with researchers and scientific experts at the national, regional, and international levels. Through these collaborations, innovations are validated and refined to ensure their technical robustness and effective adoption by farmers and other actors across agri-food systems.
We support entrepreneurs, in close collaboration with scientific teams, in the co-development, testing, and scaling of their innovations. This support includes tailored technical assistance from researchers, guidance in validating business models, connections with professional sector networks, and opportunities to conduct pilots in real-world conditions with end users.
Read the Terms of Reference [In French]
Step-by-Step: From Technical Validation to Field Impact
Who can apply?
We are looking for innovations aimed at improving food systems, led by early-stage teams that have developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), ideally already tested with end users, but still requiring additional scientific support.
Proposed solutions must address genuine market needs, contribute to solving local agricultural challenges, align with at least one of the priority themes outlined below, and deliver tangible benefits to smallholder farmers and value chain actors.
The West Africa Agri-Food Challenge is implemented using the methodology of the Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP) of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, under the framework of the “International Innovation Hub – West Africa” project, funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) through the Fonds Équipe France. The project aims to strengthen the science-based entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem to address challenges related to the transformation and development of food systems in West Africa.
This two-year project, coordinated by Agropolis International, brings together a multi-stakeholder consortium composed of higher education and research institutions from Senegal, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, France, and the international community. Partners include the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT/CGIAR (through the Accelerate for Impact Platform – A4IP), CIRAD, Institut Agro Montpellier, INP-HB/ESA, IRD, the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of Abomey-Calavi, Gaston Berger University, and USSEIN, as well as entrepreneurship support organizations such as Afric’Innov and DER/FJ.
Climate-Resilient Agriculture, Agroecology and Sustainable Natural Resource Management
Agri-Food Processing, Agricultural Logistics and Market Access
AgriTech, Digitalization and Inclusive Technologies
Agricultural Finance and Financial Inclusion
Stakeholder Coordination and Organizational Innovation
What's in it for you?
Join the West Africa Agri-Food Challenge and seize the opportunity to refine, test, and scale your innovative solution in Benin, Senegal, or Côte d’Ivoire, while becoming part of a dynamic regional ecosystem of innovators.
Through the programme, you will receive structured support at every stage to build a strong commercialization strategy, validate your innovation technically, and gain access to networks that can unlock future market opportunities.
If selected, you will benefit from: