The Timbuktoo Agritech Hub, an initiative to advance agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa, has been launched in Accra.
The initiative seeks to support startups developing solutions to improve productivity, strengthen food systems and promote climate‑resilient agriculture.
The launch, held under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Government of Japan, brought together government officials, international partners, incubator managers and innovators from 37 countries.
Mr Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, speaking at the launch event, commended UNDP and its partners for mobilising capital and supporting African startups.
He said agriculture remained central to livelihoods but faced challenges including climate change, fragmented supply chains and limited access to finance, which required innovative and sustainable solutions.
The Minister noted that Africa’s prosperity depended on ingenuity, strong institutions and bold partnerships.
He said that digital tools and artificial intelligence could transform the sector by improving decision‑making, market access and resilience against climate shocks.
Ms Shaima Hussein, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Ghana, said Timbuktoo was a bold pan‑African initiative aimed at improving the livelihoods of 100 million people, with the Agritech Hub supporting startups in climate‑smart agriculture, supply‑chain innovations and market‑access technologies.
“We are witnessing an exciting rise in technology-driven solutions developed by African entrepreneurs that have the potential to transform agricultural productivity, strengthen food systems, and build climate-resilient agriculture.
“It is in this context that we are particularly proud to mark the launch of the Timbuktoo AgriTech Hub hosted here in Ghana,” she stated.
Mr Hiroshi Yoshimoto, Japan’s Ambassador to Ghana, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to Africa’s innovation ecosystem and proposed incorporating Kaizen methodologies to enhance startups’ efficiency and competitiveness.
He announced Japan’s plan to train three million African youth in artificial intelligence and digital skills.
Ms Joanne Manda, Global Head of Timbuktoo, said the initiative would help build infrastructure to support thousands of startups and connect academia to markets through technology hubs to address talent gaps and support businesses in sectors such as fintech, health technology and agritech.
The broader Timbuktoo initiative aims to mobilise one billion United States dollars over 10 years, support 10,000 startups, scale 1,000 high‑growth enterprises, improve livelihoods for 100 million people and generate 10 billion United States dollars in value across the continent.
Source : Access Agric