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The Marché des Innovations et Technologies Agricoles (MITA) is in full swing in the Togolese capital. The event features a number of activities designed to highlight the challenge of developing and adopting innovative technologies to combat the pests and diseases that can destroy up to 40% of agricultural crops. 

On its second day, MITA is marked by the opening of the first edition of the West and Central African Youth Summit on Climate-Smart Agriculture. This meeting, which brings together some 100 young people from various West and Central African countries, is being held under the theme "Engaging young people in climate-smart agriculture by unleashing their potential". 

Organized by CORAF in collaboration with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the summit aims to stimulate the creative genius of young people in West and Central Africa to develop innovations that can help combat the impacts of climate change on agriculture. 

" West and Central Africa, rich in agricultural potential, faces major challenges, including climate change and rising youth unemployment. However, we also see a unique opportunity: that of transforming these challenges into levers of development, by making agriculture an engine of inclusive growth and prosperity for our young people. This summit offers a unique platform to discuss, learn and, above all, mobilize young people as key players in agricultural and climate development ", said Safouratou ADARIPARE, Director of Management Services at CORAF, at the opening of the Summit. 

According to Yves-Patrick Karangwa, GGGI's Head of Investment and Project Development for Africa, the adoption of solutions developed by young people will " increase agricultural productivity, strengthen resilience to climate change, create jobs, reduce migration and improve livelihoods in Africa".

" I think now is the time to seize the opportunity to support young entrepreneurs. The future of African agriculture lies in our ability to combine investment and partnership. We must invest in African agriculture and in the potential of its youth ", he added. 

Focus on young people's innovations 

The Summit was also an opportunity for young people to exchange views with their peers and present their agricultural innovations.

A total of 04 participants presented their innovative ideas to a panel of judges made up of Dr. Olagunju M. Olalekan ASHIMOLOWO, Vice-President in charge of Operations at the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Mr. Boris SOME, Director of Consolidation and Follow-up, IB HOLDING, Ms. Alicia PALACIO TASC WFP Team Lead at the Agence Transformation Agricole (ATA) and Mr. Gustavo. Boris SOME, Director of Consolidation and Follow-up, IB HOLDING, Ms Alicia PALACIO TASC WFP Team Lead at Agence de Transformation Agricole (ATA) and Mr Gustav BAKOUNDAH, CEO and Founder of LABEL D'OR. 

The first innovation was presented by Alpha Boubacar FOMBA, , who is developing a project to create a sustainable agricultural farm combined with tourism. Called Eco Tourisme Et Gastronomie Locale Africaine (EGLA), the project addresses the lack of local supplies of fresh fish and vegetables, poor access to recreational and educational activities for tourists and locals, and above all the lack of integration between agriculture and tourism to generate sustainable income.

" We offer an immersive tourist experience where visitors fish and taste their catch in a safe setting, enhancing local appeal. Our project is a contribution to local food security and the regional tourism economy," he told the jury. 

Agri Business Activities (ABA), is the second innovative idea presented during the summit. Created in 2017 by young Gabonese, ABA is a tool for community development through agriculture and its value chains. This idea, presented by Borice E. EFOUA ABA'A, from Gabon, aims to reduce unemployment by training and integrating 500 young people into the pork value chain. 

The third innovation, spearheaded by Adissa SANT'ANNA, is called Bébé Green, an agri-food structure specializing in the manufacture of food products for babies aged 6 months and over. Its aim is to reduce food waste and transform local surpluses into nutritious purées for babies. It offers fruit compotes and vegetable purées, natural juices and 100% natural enriched porridge flour, with the aim of providing children with nutritional supplements. 

The fourth initiative that caught the jury's attention was that of Dr Moubarak KONDOW, a young researcher affiliated to ITRA-Togo, on the development of climate-smart pest management strategies using biopesticides coupled with artificial intelligence (AI). 

The principle behind its innovation is to set up AI-based software capable of proposing a typical biopesticide to be used urgently in the event of an invasion of an identified pest in a given new geographical area, based on available knowledge of the pest and a previously developed biopesticide.

And it was this last idea that most caught the attention of the jury, who were delighted by its originality. According to the jury, the idea is an innovation which, once finalized, will provide a solution to a number of problems and will create a breeding ground for new jobs. 

"The young person has identified a real problem to which he has found an interesting solution. The solution can be supplied to agricultural producers. If the project is well managed, it will create jobs and can also be duplicated in other countries. It's an innovation that responds in all its dimensions to the theme of the summit and of MITA ", said Dr. Olagunju M. Olalekan ASHIMOLOWO, president of the jury.

Following the pitch session, the young summit participants were invited to share their experiences with other young people who have already proved their worth in agricultural entrepreneurship. 

On Thursday, the fourth day of MITA, young people will have the unique opportunity to take part in B-to-B sessions with backers and potential investment partners, as well as with senior entrepreneurs.