Zambia Promotes Health and Agritech Innovation Through Strategic Partnerships
The Minister of Technology and Science, Hon. Felix Chipota Mutati MP, has called on Zambian innovators to pursue strategic partnerships that prioritise scalability, collaboration and long-term value creation, as the country positions innovation as a driver of sustainable development.
Speaking to innovators selected to participate in the upcoming Zambia–Ghana Business Forum and Dialogue, Mr Mutati emphasised that innovation thrives when strong ideas are effectively linked to opportunity. He urged participants to approach partnerships with confidence, focusing on shared growth rather than immediate financial need.
The Minister encouraged innovators to clearly articulate their products or solutions, the value they deliver, and the type of partnerships required to scale. He advised that partnerships should be built through joint planning and collaboration, allowing financial considerations to emerge organically as trust and common objectives are established.
Mr Mutati reminded the innovators that they had been carefully selected to represent Zambia and called on them to uphold professionalism and confidence throughout the engagement. He stressed that combining strengths through collaboration creates greater collective value and can unlock opportunities that individual efforts may not achieve.
He also highlighted the importance of follow-up engagements beyond exhibitions and brief meetings, noting that sustained dialogue often produces more meaningful outcomes. While acknowledging that not every interaction would lead to immediate success, the Minister said that even a few viable transactions would represent a significant achievement.
The Minister concluded by highlighting a broader continental vision, stating that collaboration among young African innovators at the levels of innovation, financing and scaling could generate sustainable solutions for Africa’s long-term development.
During the engagement, Jonathan Banda, Chief Technology Officer of AgriPredict Solutions, presented the company’s vision of building a digital agricultural ecosystem that connects actors across the entire agro-value chain. He explained that the platform is designed to be inclusive and accessible, operating on feature phones and in low-connectivity environments.
AgriPredict’s technology provides farmers with market access, emergency alerts and critical agricultural information, while enabling collective participation in markets to improve bargaining power, particularly for rural farmers. The company aims to support farmers to become net exporters while meeting domestic demand.
Mr Banda noted that AgriPredict received early support from the National Technology Business Centre (NTBC) through a grant of approximately US$48,000, which enabled foundational research in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Additional institutional support has since strengthened the company’s capacity and prepared it for international collaboration.
Health technology innovator Dr Tafadzwa Munzwa also showcased the development of artificial intelligence-powered applications designed to support healthcare professionals, particularly in maternal and reproductive health. Key innovations include AI-assisted cervical cancer screening to reduce diagnostic subjectivity, as well as ultrasound and image-based tools that enhance maternal health services.
Dr Munzwa joined the SIGTA ICT programme during the 2021–2022 cohort at an early stage of development. Initial funding supported pilot projects that delivered strong results, leading to international recognition and collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
To date, the innovator has raised approximately US$300,000 in funding, supported more than 20,000 mothers, and continues to scale the solutions, with plans to secure additional investment.
