DigitalAG Challenge

Thanks to many major local reforms and global opportunities, the agriculture and agribusiness sectors in Egypt face huge potential. These sectors currently contribute about 35% of Egypt’s GDP and use 86% of the country’s water resources. In addition, reports indicate that Egypt has untapped export potential of at least USD 15 billion. To take advantage of these opportunities and keep pace with its growing domestic market (with total household consumption estimated at around USD 300 billion by 2021), Egypt will need a highly efficient agricultural product and supply system. This will allow it to leverage its favorable geographic location and current comparative advantages, paving the way to become an effective hub for agribusiness transformation.

The challenge operates along three tracks:

Market and Services Access – Focusing on strengthening the value chain, for example by addressing logistics or advisory services or high levels of food loss and waste.

Access to Finance – Focusing on overcoming financial access issues related to the sectors.

Resource Management – Focusing on the responsible use of water and energy.

This competition aims to engage youth and the private sector and to find innovative ICT solutions to increase the efficiency of agricultural markets from a pool of innovators, while addressing related issues such as logistics, food loss and waste, water resource management, and environmental degradation.

Applicants must form teams (minimum of two members). Individual applications will not be accepted.

Team members must have the required expertise and skills and be willing to work on their idea until it reaches the implementation stage.

The solution must rely on mobile phones, communication networks, and information technology to enhance agricultural markets in Egypt.

The solution should focus on at least one of the three tracks identified by this challenge and be designed and applied to the Egyptian context.