Many Nigerian farmers, like 67-year-old Zaidu, face profound struggles despite a lifetime in agriculture. He cultivates land with crude tools, relies on rainfall, and loses a significant portion of his harvest due to inadequate storage. The small quantity he sells fetches meager prices from middlemen, and declining yields are exacerbated by a lack of funds for fertilizer, often diverted by 'briefcase farmers'. Zaidu's predicament reflects a broader national issue: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that over 70% of Nigerians in agriculture operate at a subsistence level. Despite contributing over 20% to Nigeria's GDP, the sector has been hampered by insufficient funding and a lack of political will to uplift smallholder farmers who bear the brunt of national food production. This current state contrasts sharply with the early 1950s and 1960s when agriculture was the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, a status it lost with the advent of the oil boom and the allure of 'easy money' from petroleum revenues.

This persistent plight of farmers deeply resonated with Alexander Zanders, the founder of Agritech startup UfarmX. Zanders, whose background wasn't initially in agriculture, pivoted to the sector in 2015, driven by a desire for more meaningful work after the birth of his daughter. He recalls, “I started actually caring about what the world would look like after I’m gone because she would be living in that world.” A move to Maryland and an invitation from a Nigerian friend, Charles, to the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo in Georgia, where Charles had ventured into soybean production, piqued Zanders' interest. This exposure opened his eyes to the vast opportunities in food production, recognizing it as a recession-proof industry. He embarked on his first agricultural venture in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria, known for its arable land and rainfall. With a substantial sum gifted by his grandmother during a Thanksgiving visit in November 2015, Zanders initially planned to establish a cassava processing plant after observing the crop's prevalence.

However, Zanders' initial plans hit unforeseen obstacles. His investment in a feasibility study and a bankable business proposal coincided with a change in national administration and a subsequent economic downturn, leading to instability. Between 2016 and 2019, Zanders travelled extensively across Africa, attending conferences and learning about the continent's agricultural landscape. This period was crucial for him to understand how he could genuinely add value, moving beyond the common practice of simply exporting raw materials for minimal returns. He realized Africa's abundant resources were often sold for 'pennies on the dollar' to the Western world, only to be re-sold back as processed goods at a premium.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a catalyst for Zanders to reconsider his life's trajectory, prompting him to pursue something truly meaningful. During President Trump’s first administration, there was a growing movement among the diaspora to look towards Africa for solutions. Coupled with pressure from his fiancée to generate revenue from his grandmother's gifted land, Zanders conceived UfarmX. His initial idea was to connect diaspora members to land-leasing and farm-management opportunities by selling portions of the gifted land. However, due to internal land disputes, he decided to buy 100 acres separately and began farming himself.

Zanders observes that individuals without an agricultural background often spearhead initiatives to feed the nation because agriculture demands immense patience and doesn't offer instant financial gratification, contrasting with the 'shiny objects' of modern society. He acknowledges his own privilege in being able to bootstrap for four years, allowing him to experiment and learn from failures. A key lesson he gleaned, often learned by Western investors, is that replicating Western agricultural playbooks in Africa is ineffective. He explains, “My initial approach was from that flawed Western academic lens where you feel as though you’re going to be able to recreate a Western system without taking into account the reality on ground. And then the continent itself quickly humbles you.”

Agriculture in Nigeria and much of Africa is an