The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), in collaboration with the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), will host the AGriDI Close-Out and Dissemination Workshop from 27–29 August 2025 at Sheraton Hotel, Dakar, Senegal.

The workshop marks a pivotal stage in the Accelerating Inclusive Green Growth through Agri-based Digital Innovation in West Africa (AGriDI) project, which was launched in 2020 and extended to 2026. Co-funded under the ACP Innovation Fund through the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Research and Innovation (R&I) Programme with the financial support of the European Union (EU), the AGriDI project aims to strengthen digital innovations for agricultural transformation in West Africa. The AGriDI consortium led by icipe comprises Agropolis Fondation (AF) in France, Gearbox Pan African Network (GB) in Kenya, and Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC) in Benin.

Over the past four and a half years, AGriDI has supported 13 grantee projects across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, with a total investment of EUR 2.73 million. These projects focused on co-developing and adapting digital solutions, creating digital innovations for market linkages, and strengthening policies for digital innovation.

So far, the project led to the development of impactful digital technologies such as the AGriCef mobile app developed by the Université de Parakou in Northern Benin, which controls the Fall armyworm in maize while the Ki@ app provides market updates directly to local farmers via SMS and voice message. The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in Southwestern Nigeria developed the SMARTSOIL app which provides hyper-local soil information to farmers using artificial intelligence.

Additionally, in Ghana, the Driving Market Access and Managing AG Value chains (DigiMakt) app led by Esoko Ltd profiles over 12,500 smallholder farmers in Bono East and Oti regions, providing climate-smart agronomic advice, market information, weather alerts, insurance, and credit scoring. The innovation won the agri-tech company of the year at the 2023 Ghana Agriculture and Agri-Business Awards for enhancing financial inclusion in the region. And the  MarketMap app by SOSAI which offers reliable market information for farmers, processors, and service providers in the agricultural sector.

In a region where 66% of employment is in the agri-food sector—of which 68% are women—AGriDI’s plays an important role in improving market access, driving financial inclusion, and addressing climate change.

The project also contributes to the implementation of ECOWAS’ policies, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals on gender, food, energy, and innovation.

The close-out and dissemination workshop will bring together over 50 participants, including AGriDI consortium members, third-party project (TPP) grantees, policymakers, private sector representatives, and development partners. The workshop will:

• Discuss digital technologies enabling data access for agri-based decision making.
• Share knowledge and experiences on how data-driven decision making can enhance agri-SMEs.
• Explore the policy landscape for data access in ECOWAS countries.
• Foster collaboration and networking for the sustainability of project outputs.

Dr Jonas Mugabe, the Project Manager AGriDI pointed out that the workshop will showcase the achievements of the third-party projects which are aligned to the ”Technological advancements set to revolutionize Africa’s agri-food systems”.

“Innovations such as digital agriculture, biotechnology, and precision farming can enhance productivity, sustainability, and inclusivity,” Dr Mugabe stated adding that, “The widespread adoption of mobile phones, mobile money, and digital tools is accelerating access to information, financial services, and markets for farmers, thus driving agricultural growth and transformation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) renewed in Kampala in January 2025 by African Heads of State.”

Expected outputs include a comprehensive report documenting project achievements, lessons learned, and best practices; strengthened networks among stakeholders; and actionable recommendations for future initiatives. The ultimate outcome will be a consensus on innovative approaches to enhance agri-based digital technologies, policies, and practices in the region.