A recent hackathon hosted by Qhala, Huawei, and Konza Technopolis highlighted the growing interest among African youth in using artificial intelligence to solve practical problems, especially in agriculture.

The event, part of Africa AI Literacy Week, brought together 50 students from universities across the continent for a 24-hour competition. Participants were challenged to create AI-powered solutions for agriculture, fintech, healthcare, education, and governance.

The focus on agriculture, a critical sector for Africa’s economy and food security, resulted in several high-potential innovations. The winning team developed an AI platform to predict market prices for agricultural goods, a tool designed to help farmers, traders, and financial institutions.

By analyzing historical data, market trends, and weather patterns, the platform aims to create more certainty in the market, protect smallholder farmers from exploitation, and increase their profits.

Two teams tied for second place. One created a system for farm data collection and analysis that includes an AI chatbot.

This chatbot can provide guidance on best farming practices, forecast yields, and help with pest management in local languages, making it accessible to rural farmers without consistent internet access.

The other second-place team developed a mobile app using AI and Augmented Reality (AR) to display information about buildings, such as infrastructure conditions and usage statistics, through a smartphone camera.

They also showed how this model could be applied to farm structures to help with storage optimization and irrigation mapping.

The top-performing teams received technology to support their ongoing work, with the first-place team getting Huawei MatePad tablets and the runners-up receiving Huawei Band 10 smartwatches.

The hackathon provided a space for young innovators to collaborate and apply AI to some of Africa’s most pressing issues.

Mentors from academia and industry, including technical experts from Huawei and Konza Technopolis, guided participants through the process of developing their ideas into prototypes.

The event showed the importance of partnerships between public and private organizations in developing Africa’s digital ecosystem.

Josephine Ndambuki, Chief Manager for Business Development & Innovation at Konza Technopolis Development Authority, stated, “Artificial intelligence is a key driver of the next frontier of development, and Konza is determined to be at the center of its growth and application across the continent.” She added, “We’re proud to support this initiative, which ensures that as we build the Silicon Savannah, young people are equipped to lead it.”

Dr. Shikoh Gitau, CEO of Qhala, spoke about the need for localized innovation. “Africa cannot afford to be left behind as AI transforms industries and societies,” she said. “We must create the awareness, support, and platforms that allow African youth to innovate and solve problems through AI — because they understand our challenges best.”

Huawei also affirmed its commitment to supporting local talent. Adam Lane, Director for Policy and Partnerships at Huawei Kenya, commented, “Huawei is proud to provide the latest skills, Cloud platforms, and resources that empower African developers to build AI solutions.” He continued, “We believe in building local capacity, and that means partnering with government, academia, and startups to make tech accessible and impactful.”

The range of ideas presented at the hackathon, from digitizing farm input distribution to developing fintech apps for unbanked populations, pointed to the growing pool of tech talent in Kenya.

Organizers said the event was a success and plan to expand future editions. Such initiatives are preparing a new generation to lead Africa’s digital transformation with locally developed solutions.