For Samina Anwar, the investment case for Africa’s agri‑food sector has moved from promise to imperative.
“We have a massive opportunity to solve a global crisis,” said the founder of MiiWa Capital, speaking to AgTechNavigator at the World Agri-tech Innovation Summit. “Africa holds 60% of the world’s uncultivated land. If we bring in smart technology and AI, we can transform this soil into the world’s most important food supply.”
This, she stressed, is not simply an agricultural play. It is about positioning Africa at the centre of future global food systems – and doing so at a moment when climate volatility, population growth and food security concerns are converging.
By backing agri-tech founders and offering expert advice, MiiWa Capital aims to put high‑tech tools into the hands of African farmers to accelerate a future of food security. Samina herself comes from a generation of farmers in the Karakoram Mountains, and for her, MiiWa’s mission is personal.
The ecosystem is no longer invisible
One reason Anwar believes now is the moment to act is that Africa’s agri‑food innovation landscape is finally visible.
For years, investors struggled to identify viable deals, she said, at a time when no one knew which companies were out there. That is no longer the case. “Now you have full‑blown databases of investable companies.”
Investors are now able to tap into start‑up mapping work consolidated through platforms such as Briter and Africa: The Big Deal, which collectively provide crucial deal and investor intelligence, as well as transparency into where capital is needed and where it can scale.
Investors can now approach companies and understand what’s happening on the ground, Anwar believes. That foundation has already been laid.
Climate resilience is the next frontier
Anwar believes African agri-tech has already passed through its first major phase: basic digital access.
“A lot of the work giving farmers mobile technology and information platforms has been done,” she said.
The urgent gaps now lie in solving on‑the‑ground realities and addressing vulnerabilities by combining climate resilience with technology, as farmers face increasingly volatile weather patterns such as longer dry spells, intense rainfall and unpredictable seasons.
Africa is among the regions most exposed to climate change, and farmers are feeling its impacts first.
“They need technology to understand how to build resilient farming practices,” Anwar said. Weather forecasting, data analytics, soil diagnostics and precision irrigation help farmers know when to plant, when to irrigate and how to protect crops.
Targeted irrigation and data‑driven decision‑making can also protect scarce water resources, she added, reducing environmental stress while improving productivity.
Adoption, not innovation, is the real bottleneck
Despite a growing pipeline of solutions, adoption remains a major challenge.
“Adoption rates are very low,” Anwar said. “Farmers want to know why they need a solution, and whether it actually works for them.”
It is crucial, Anwar believes, that investors in Africa avoid backing companies that simply hand over technology and walk away. Agri‑tech solutions must be locally designed in close consultation with farmers, with a focus on building long‑term partnerships.
“The path to true food security begins with the farmer and local knowledge, not just the technology,” she said. “When we equip the people who know the soil best with relevant, effective agri‑tech solutions, we don’t just increase yields – we unlock the continent’s vast, untapped potential to feed the world.”
Why women hold the key
No structural gap concerns Anwar more than the underinvestment in women founders and female farmers.
Agriculture in Sub‑Saharan Africa is powered by smallholder farmers – yet 80% still rely on traditional practices that leave yields far below global averages, she said. “When women – the backbone of this system – are underfunded and underserved, the future of agriculture is capped before it can scale.”
Women founders in Africa received less than 1% of start‑up funding in 2025, according to recent data from Africa: The Big Deal. This represents a tremendous, untapped opportunity. That is why MiiWa places female farmers and founders at the centre of its strategy, viewing gender inclusion as fundamental to scaling food systems.
“We have a common‑sense problem,” Anwar said. “The women growing Africa’s food are being locked out of the tools and capital they need to succeed. We can’t build a high‑tech agricultural future while leaving the backbone of the system behind. When we invest in female founders and farmers, we strengthen the foundation of the region’s future food security.”
For Anwar, investing in female founders is not an impact sideline – it is a growth strategy.
“Every time a female founder develops a field‑ready agri‑tech solution, she isn’t just launching a start‑up; she is dismantling a barrier to food security. We must invest in these innovators as architects of Africa’s agricultural modernisation.”
Capital is the missing link
Underlying all of this is a stark funding imbalance.
Africa receives roughly 0.3% of global venture capital, Anwar said, despite GDP growth of around 4% and a rapidly expanding youth population. Few agri‑food start‑ups have progressed beyond seed stage – something Anwar describes as “discouraging”.
“There’s a trillion‑dollar opportunity in agri‑tech,” she said. “Regulatory frameworks are evolving in many countries, alongside improved infrastructure, creating a more investor‑friendly environment. This wasn’t the case 10 years ago. This is the time for investors to jump in.”
For Anwar, the question is no longer whether Africa is ready for agri‑food investment – but whether investors are ready for Africa.
