Imagine millions of small-scale farmers in Africa who grow enough to barely feed their families but can't access the latest know-how on better seeds, soil management, or market prices. InnovAfrica built a network of local knowledge hubs and a smartphone-based platform so farmers can get practical advice right where they are — like a "farming helpdesk" that actually works in rural Africa. They tested this across six countries — Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Africa — connecting researchers, extension workers, and farmers in a way that hadn't been done before. The result is a proven system for getting useful agricultural knowledge from the lab to the field, along with strategies to improve seed delivery and value chains for smallholders.
By the numbers
6
Multi-Actor Platforms established across Sub-Saharan Africa
6
case countries tested (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa)
16
consortium partners collaborating
11
countries represented in consortium
2
Village Knowledge Centers established
31
total project deliverables produced
The business problem
What needed solving
Smallholder farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to practical agricultural knowledge, improved seeds, and market connections — leading to low productivity and food insecurity. Meanwhile, agri-tech companies and seed suppliers struggle with last-mile delivery and trust-building in these fragmented rural markets. The gap between available agricultural research and what actually reaches farmers on the ground costs billions in unrealized productivity.
The solution
What was built
The project built and deployed 6 Multi-Actor Platforms across 6 African countries, 2 Village Knowledge Centers, and the KIPUS digital knowledge platform for smartphone-based agricultural advisory. It also produced analytical maps of market value chains, a comprehensive investment plan, policy and institutional guidelines, strategic plans for value chain upgrades, and gender mainstreaming strategies — all tested in real field conditions over 4+ years.
Audience
Who needs this
Agri-tech companies building mobile farming advisory apps for African marketsSeed companies seeking distribution channels to reach smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan AfricaInternational development organizations designing food security programsAgricultural input suppliers looking for last-mile delivery models in rural AfricaImpact investors evaluating agricultural technology ventures in East and Southern Africa
Business applications
Who can put this to work
Agricultural Technology & Extension Services
SME
Target: Companies building digital farming advisory tools or mobile-based extension platforms for emerging markets
If you are an agri-tech company developing mobile advisory tools for African markets — this project built and tested the KIPUS knowledge platform and smartphone-based extension services across 6 countries with real smallholder farmers. Their Multi-Actor Platforms in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Africa generated ground-level data on what information channels farmers actually use. You could license or integrate these validated delivery models instead of building from scratch.
Seed & Agricultural Input Supply
any
Target: Seed companies and agricultural input suppliers seeking distribution channels in Sub-Saharan Africa
If you are a seed company struggling to reach smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa — this project developed and tested seed delivery systems and mapped current market value chain pathways across 6 African countries. Their 6 Multi-Actor Platforms connect researchers, farmers, and market actors in an established network. You could use these tested distribution models and local networks to improve last-mile delivery of improved seed varieties.
International Development & Agricultural Consulting
enterprise
Target: Development consultancies and NGOs designing food security programs in Africa
If you are a development consultancy designing food security interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa — this project produced a comprehensive investment plan, policy and institutional guidelines, and gender mainstreaming strategies tested across a 16-partner consortium in 11 countries. Their 6 established Multi-Actor Platforms and 2 Village Knowledge Centers provide a ready-made infrastructure for scaling agricultural advisory programs without starting from zero.
Frequently asked
Quick answers
What would it cost to access or license the KIPUS platform and advisory tools?+
The project data does not include licensing costs or pricing for the KIPUS knowledge platform. As a publicly funded RIA project, the core research outputs are likely accessible, but commercialization terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator NIBIO. Contact the consortium to discuss specific licensing arrangements.
Can these advisory tools and delivery models scale beyond the 6 test countries?+
The project was explicitly designed with upscaling in mind — the 6 Multi-Actor Platforms were set up in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Africa as models for replication in other regions. The smartphone-based tools and Village Knowledge Centers were built to be transferable, though local adaptation would be needed for new countries.
Who owns the intellectual property — can a company use these tools commercially?+
As a Horizon 2020 RIA project, IP typically remains with the partners who generated it. The 16-partner consortium across 11 countries means IP may be distributed. Any commercial use would require agreements with the relevant partners, starting with coordinator NIBIO in Norway.
Are the tools proven to work, or is this still experimental?+
The project ran for over 4 years (2017-2021) and established 6 operational Multi-Actor Platforms, 2 Village Knowledge Centers, and the KIPUS knowledge platform. They also produced strategic plans to upgrade value chains and analytical maps of market pathways. These are tested systems, not lab prototypes.
What regulatory considerations exist for deploying these tools in African markets?+
The project produced specific policy and institutional guidelines to facilitate knowledge diffusion along the value chain, plus gender mainstreaming strategies. These deliverables address the regulatory landscape in the 6 case countries and would be valuable for any company navigating agricultural policy in Sub-Saharan Africa.
How does this integrate with existing agricultural extension systems?+
InnovAfrica was specifically designed to work with — not replace — existing extension and advisory services. The Multi-Actor Platforms bring together local government extension workers, researchers, farmers, and private sector actors. The smartphone tools and Village Knowledge Centers complement traditional extension rather than competing with it.
Consortium
Who built it
The InnovAfrica consortium brings together 16 partners from 11 countries spanning Europe and Africa, with 6 research organizations, 5 universities, 2 industry players, and 3 other entities. The low industry ratio (12%, just 2 SMEs) signals this is research-driven rather than commercially oriented. The coordinator NIBIO is Norway's national bioeconomy research institute — a credible but public-sector lead. The geographic spread across both European research hubs (Norway, Germany, Italy, Netherlands) and African implementation countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa) plus Mexico gives the project genuine cross-continental reach, but a business partner would need to bring commercial scaling expertise that the consortium largely lacks.
SciTransfer can connect you with the InnovAfrica consortium to explore licensing the KIPUS platform, accessing the Multi-Actor Platform networks, or adapting their tested extension models for your market entry in Sub-Saharan Africa.
