Seven out of every ten people in Africa rely on agriculture for their livelihood. According to the World Bank, agriculture contributes 32% to Africa’s GDP, making it a cornerstone of the continent’s economy and a vital lifeline for millions.
However, this vital sector is under siege – not from drought or pests, but from a more insidious threat: misinformation. The continent losses billions of dollars annually in missed opportunities caused by misinformation targeting innovative solutions in agriculture. Misinformation perpetuates fear, breeds mistrust, and blocks the uptake of agricultural innovations that could revolutionize food systems. Farmers, consumers, and policymakers are increasingly vulnerable – misguided by falsehoods about the very technologies designed to enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability.
To confront this silent crisis, AfriCenter assembled a powerhouse of AI experts, data scientists, and agricultural specialists for a ground-breaking competition to harness the power of artificial intelligence in detecting and dismantling misinformation. The mission? To sow truth where doubt has taken root – and empower Africa’s agricultural future with facts, not fear.
Ten teams comprising a total of 29 diverse solution-seekers took part in the competition. Through a hackathon format, each team, comprising three to five members, shared ideas and leveraged each other’s strengths to develop impactful solutions. They submitted their projects ready for presentation.
Out of the 10 teams that submitted entries, eight made the final cut. On May 16, 2025, these eight teams showcased their innovative solutions before a distinguished panel of judges, who scored each team based on the established criteria: originality, uniqueness, practicability, and potential impact of the developed AI-powered solutions. Only the top three teams would be recognized and given the opportunity to participate in a hackathon competition at the second edition of the Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) Summit 2025, to be held in Nairobi from May 20-22, 2025.
The tech-savvy quartet of young specialists – Fatma Omar, Ronald Oketch, Chima Durumetu, and Brian Kimani – emerged top with their award-winning innovation, AgriGuard, an AI-powered system designed to combat misinformation effortlessly. AgriGuard combines three powerful tools: Viral Farm, which scans media in real time for trending myths; AgriFactCheck, a chatbot delivering instant, verified responses via SMS and WhatsApp; and MythBusterAG, which produces AI-generated pre-bunking videos in local languages. Designed for zero-literacy access and scalable impact, AgriGuard empowers farmers with facts.
“Our vision is to become Google’s Search for Africa’s Truth, protecting 100 million farmers from misinformation by 2030. And our mission is to empower farmers and agri-stakeholders with verified real time information on biotechnology, GMOs and agri-tech using AI and local language integration to defeat misinformation at a scale,” explained Fatma Omar.
Another top-performing project in the competition was AgriTrue, a groundbreaking AI-powered platform designed to detect misleading information, including counterfeit fertilizers passed off as genuine and false weather claims. AgriTrue offers a smart browser extension, AI chatbot, and policymaker dashboard. It uses deepfake detection and NLP to verify content in videos, images, and text, issuing trust codes and visual indicators. Community notes allow experts to add context, while USSD support targets rural farmers. The minds behind this innovation are Emmanuel Nyongesa, Dennis Manzolo, Lynn Alma, and Lewis Muriuki.
Ranked third in the competition is an AI-powered initiative combating GMO misinformation and the spread of counterfeit farm inputs among Kenyan farmers. The innovation, dubbed AgriVerify, combines AI-powered chatbots, interactive quizzes, product verification tools, and multi-platform accessibility via web and USSD codes. By offering accurate, easy-to-understand information – especially in rural areas with limited internet access – the platform empowers farmers to make informed decisions. It also helps users assess their knowledge and verify product authenticity, fostering trust in biotechnology. Developers – Irene Njeri, Teresiah Njoki and George Wambugu – aim to expand the tool to cover other agricultural topics like pest control and fertilizers, and plan to integrate local languages for broader impact.
ISAAA AfriCenter Director Dr. Margaret Karembu applauded the participants acknowledging their exceptional talent and creativity in developing innovative solutions to combat misinformation in agriculture.
“We often speak of future leaders as though they are yet to come. But the truth is: the future is now. The leaders are already here, among us – young people who are ready to tackle the challenges facing our continent. You are not just participants; you are solution seekers,” Dr. Karembu affirmed.
The hackathon also provided mentorship to young developers, focusing on coding, detecting misinformation, and developing solutions to societal challenges – ultimately contributing to improved livelihoods.
“Participating in the hackathon was both intense and inspiring. Collaborating with a diverse team taught me the power of merging different skillsets and perspectives to solve real-world problems. Winning was an amazing feeling, validation of our idea and teamwork. It reminded me that innovation thrives where collaboration, purpose, and passion meet.”
Fatma Omar, team-member, AgriGuard AI Project