Cameroon has launched the second edition of the Agritech Innovation Challenge (AIC), inviting applications for digital solutions aimed at transforming the country’s agro-pastoral sector. The ten best innovations will each receive technical and financial support of up to 40 million CFA francs.
The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng, presented the initiative in Yaoundé on 3 March 2026.
The programme aims to identify high-impact digital tools capable of addressing challenges in agriculture, livestock and fisheries while improving productivity, competitiveness and resilience in these sectors.
Applications opened on 27 February and will close on 12 April 2026. The competition will begin with an online pre-selection phase, followed by regional selections across Cameroon’s four cultural zones, a national pitch contest and a final award ceremony.
Under the 2026 edition, each of the ten selected digital solutions will benefit from technical supervision and funding of up to 40 million CFA francs, aimed at strengthening product development and facilitating integration into agro-pastoral value chains.
Eligible applicants include legally registered startups in Cameroon, innovative young enterprises in seed or growth phases, and structured project holders with already developed technological solutions. Entries must have reached at least a functional prototype or minimum viable product stage, or have undergone user testing.
Priority areas include climate adaptation, agri-fintech applications, data-driven farm management tools, market access platforms and technologies aimed at optimising agricultural resources.
The initiative is technically coordinated by the Digital Acceleration and Transformation Project (PATNUC) under the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and financially supported by the World Bank.
During the launch, authorities also signed co-financing agreements for the ten winning projects from the 2024 edition, enabling the implementation of their business plans. Speaking at the event, Minister Minette Libom Li Likeng stressed that digital agricultural solutions are becoming essential for Cameroon’s development.
“The digital transformation of Cameroon’s economy and society is a priority for innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth. The Support Programme for Cameroon’s Digital Transformation constitutes a structuring initiative for digital modernisation applied to a highly strategic sector for our country. Digital agricultural solutions appear not as an option, but as a necessity,” she said.
She added that such tools can help optimise production, improve resource management, expand market access and strengthen adaptation to climate change.
For beneficiaries of the first edition, the programme has already facilitated operational expansion. Nadia Nya Njong, co-founder of Farm Solutions and a 2024 beneficiary, said the support had helped strengthen the company’s manufacturing capacity.
“A major thing that stands out which people quickly see is the 40 million CFA francs. It helps us to improve our manufacturing capacity. Beyond that, we are introduced into a network of other agric-tech companies. We are here for the opportunities which go beyond,” she said.
She added that PATNUC’s mentorship has helped participating firms become investment-ready and gain access to wider markets, including connections with more than 45 producer organisations.
Authorities say the Agritech Innovation Challenge forms part of Cameroon’s broader strategy to accelerate digital transformation in agriculture, livestock and fisheries, sectors considered central to national economic development.
Mercy Fosoh
