ESTHER Kimani, a 2022 YouthADAPT winner, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The ceremony took place on June 13 in Nairobi, Kenya. YouthADAPT, sponsored by the African Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, supported Kimani’s journey.
Kimani’s groundbreaking invention is an advanced early detection system for crop pests and diseases. This solar-powered device uses computer vision and machine learning to identify threats, providing real-time alerts and customised intervention advice via SMS. The device is a game-changer for smallholder farmers in Kenya, potentially reducing crop losses by 30 percent and increasing yields by 40 percent. The affordable $3 monthly lease makes it accessible, offering a significant improvement over traditional methods.
The Africa Prize, established in 2014, supports scalable and sustainable engineering solutions to African challenges. Over the past decade, nearly 150 entrepreneurs from 23 countries have created more than 28,000 jobs and impacted over 10 million people across the continent. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the Royal Academy of Engineering hosted an Alumni Reunion, bringing together 100 past winners and finalists.
In her acceptance speech, Kimani shared her motivation: ‘Growing up, my parents would lose up to 40 percent of their crops each season, deeply affecting our living standards. Our goal is to empower smallholder farmers, particularly women, to increase their income. We aim to reach one million farmers in the next five years.’ Kimani received £50,000 to further develop her innovation, the largest prize amount in the Africa Prize’s history.
Other awardees included:
- Kevin Maina (Kenya) for Eco Tiles, a roofing material made from recycled plastic.
- Rory Assandey (Côte d’Ivoire) for La Ruche Health, an AI chatbot providing essential health information.
- Martin Tumusiime (Uganda) for Yo-Waste, a mobile app for efficient waste management.
Dr. Abubakari Zarouk Imoro received the ‘One to Watch’ award for his innovation in waste and biomass valorisation, awarded in honour of the late Martin Bruce, a Ghanaian alumnus of the Africa Prize. This award came with a £5,000 prize.
