What does it take to turn farming from subsistence into a growth engine for Africa?

In this episode of the TechAfrica News Podcast, Chief Editor and Founder Akim Benamara sits down with Aliou Maïga, IFC’s Regional Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Africa, to discuss how AgTech is reshaping agriculture. From boosting yields and incomes for smallholder farmers to de-risking lending and using AI for crop management, the conversation explores how technology, finance, and data can drive food security and jobs across the continent.

About Our Guest

Aliou Maïga is IFC’s Regional Director for the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Africa, where he leads investment and advisory operations, sector reforms, and strategy across the region. With over 20 years at IFC, he has held senior roles in Africa and Asia, including Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Regional Manager for East Asia and the Pacific, and Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

Agriculture at the Heart of Development

Agriculture employs up to 80 percent of Africa’s workforce and contributes as much as 40 percent of GDP. “If you want to create jobs in Africa, the biggest employer in Africa is agriculture,” Maïga said.

AgTech’s Promise

AgTech firms act like fintechs for farming—digitising operations, linking farmers to inputs, insurance, and markets, and reducing risk for lenders. As Maïga explained, they are “an ERP behind every farmer.”

“Technology has transformed every sector that it was injected into. You look at finance 50 years ago, and more recently the whole fintech revolution. But for some reason, agriculture has remained out of that movement. What we're trying to do is to inject technology in agriculture to make it efficient and productive as much as technology has done for other sectors.”

- Aliou Maiga, Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group in Africa, IFC 

Real-World Impact 

Pilots in Morocco raised yields by 30 percent and incomes by more than 50 percent, while Nigeria’s Babban Gona integrates credit, storage, and profit-sharing. Most AgTechs blend digital platforms with local field agents to support farmers directly.

Mindset and Risk Perception

Banks and policymakers remain cautious, often financing only post-harvest activities. IFC is working to shift this view by piloting models and sharing risks to build trust in pre-harvest financing.

Data and Reach

Digitisation makes farmers investable and gives governments tools for better policies. With mobile coverage at about 70 percent, AgTech agents extend services to rural communities, bridging the last mile.

Scaling the Future

IFC aims to reach 5 million farmers by 2030. Maïga called this “very small,” noting the larger opportunity. With AI now able to detect plant disease from simple photos, he believes AgTech is key to self-reliance, food security, and growth.

This episode was recorded on the 30 July 2025 at IFC Johannesburg.

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