Yaounde: Agricfresh wins prestigious Blue Star prize at maiden Blue Tech Challenge.

Winners were of the tech challenge were unveiled Wednesday in Yaounde. Flagged off in May this year, the challenge attracted 289 entries. 50 submissions were retained for the challenge which Wednesday produced eight winners.

Speaking Wednesday prior to the unveiling of the winners of the tech challenge, the General Manager of CAMTEL, Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi, said the initiative was organised as part of year-long activities to mark CAMTEL’s 25th anniversary.

The CAMTEL boss disclosed that the main objective of the challenge was to identify, evaluate, reward and promote technological projects, ideas, innovations and best practices from universities and colleges, researchers and start-ups.

She said the Blue Tech Challenge was much more than just a competition, stating that: “It is a showcase for digital excellence made in Cameroon. as a reminder, the ambitious initiative is part of the celebration marking the 25th anniversary of CAMTEL”.

Judith Yah explained that the Blue Tech Challenge, “is one of the highlights of our silver jubilee. Today, after months of technological excitement and challenges, we have reached the climax of this extraordinary adventure. We are here to honour innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of our youth”.

She recalled that: “When We launched the 1st edition of the Blue Tech Challenge on the 30th of May this year, our objective was clear: To highlight the talents that exist in our digital ecosystem and foster the emergence of innovative solutions that can transform Cameroon’s technological landscape”.

CAMTEL General Manager told the young competitors their commitment in the challenge bears witness to the vitality and dynamism of the country’s digital ecosystem. 

She disclosed that: “We received 289 submissions, and we selected a long list of 50 submissions. Today, we have 30 finalists looking for a place among the eight winners”.

Judith Yah was clear that: “For the records, the different categories of the contest are: the Blue Star Award which rewards the 10 best technology startups based in Cameroon”.

Others, she said, include: “The Blue Academic Innovation Award which honours the three best projects backed by universities and institutions of higher learning or carried out by students researchers or PhD candidates and showing a strong potential for economic and social impacts. The Blue Tech woman Award which is the special prize for the best woman-led startup highlighting the importance of inclusion in the digital sector…”

Winner expresses joy

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the declaration of winners of the challenge, Afopezi Moses who is co-founder of Agricfresh, said the triumph marks an important turning point for the nascent company. 

Afopezi disclosed that Agricfresh, is an agric tech start up in Cameroon helping small holder farmers to mitigate the effects of post-harvest losses.

“Our innovation comprises solar panels, sensors and equally we have batteries which help in keeping the environment of our innovation cold, permitting these farmers to extend the shelf life of their perishable crops from a normal five-day period to over 21 days,” he said. 

He added that: “This period provides the farmers with enough time for potential farmers to negotiate prices in the markets which will permit them sell for the prices they ultimately like. In addition to it, we are providing a market linkage platform known as agricfresh.cm where they can connect with potential buyers nationally and internationally”.

“We are not forgetting the aspect of empowerment. On our platform, we are helping farmers with video content on how they can boost their output,” he continued.

Quizzed on the inspiration behind the project, Afopezi said he was inspired by his mother’s experience.

“My mom was a farmer and ultimately each time she cultivated tomatoes, she discovered that she was going to sell her tomatoes at just 2000 FCFA meanwhile it was possible for her to sell at 5,000FCFA. So, when I looked at this and with the current Anglophone crisis, we have so many farmers in Santa Subdivision who are cultivating perishables but who aren’t able to sell, so all of these problems pushed me to think of an innovation which will permit small holder farmers extend the shelf life of their perishable crops from normal five days to 21 days,” he explained.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3249 of Friday October 04, 2024