The Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) Challenge aims to transform early-stage innovative agricultural ideas that address resilience needs in East African countries and scale them into sustainable business ideas. RAIN is supported by the Shockwave Foundation and the Munich Re Foundation.
Following a rigorous review process, 23 seed-level initiatives were shortlisted for the second round of the RAIN Challenge. Over several months, these initiatives received mentorship and participated in a Leadership Academy in July 2024.
After months of mentorship and training, the RAIN project team selected 11 winning projects. The winners will continue to receive tailored mentorship to scale their projects, communications support to refine their messaging, and a cash prize to support their next steps. The winning projects range from for-profit enterprises to non-profit initiatives, all fostering resilience and enabling nature-positive agriculture to thrive.
Meet the 11 winners:
Building climate-resilient livelihoods and reducing Postharvest food loss with affordable solar-powered dryer in Lake Victoria
Country: Tanzania
Lead organisation: MAVUNOLAB (The Postharvest Innovation Centre)
Climate change is severely impacting aquatic food production in Tanzania, increasing post-harvest losses and threatening the livelihoods of fish-dependent communities. Traditional fish drying methods like sun-drying and smoking are inefficient, exposing fish to contaminants, contributing to spoilage, and generating significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This project offers a climate-smart solution by introducing solar-powered fish drying technology to small-scale processors around Lake Victoria in Tanzania. Solar drying halves drying time, prevents spoilage, and significantly reduces CO2 emissions, providing a cleaner and more sustainable alternative.
Harvesting Prosperity: Empowering Smallholders and Elevating Incomes through a Climate-Smart Marketplace
Country: Kenya
Lead organisation: Shambabetter LLC
Uzani Studios, Zola Madaga, kilimore 4cus
Farmers face significant challenges adapting to climate change, accessing markets, finance, and sustainable inputs. These barriers limit their ability to improve yields, secure fair prices, and adopt regenerative practices. To address this, this project developed a 3-in-1 digital platform which provides personalised agricultural advice via a WhatsApp chatbot, an app for advisors, and a dashboard for farmer-facing organisations. Under the RAIN Challenge, they are piloting an offline marketplace in Kenya, connecting farmers with vetted input providers and markets. Harvesting Prosperity aims to support 5,000 farmers, foster regenerative practices, improve market access, and enhance resilience across Kenya.
Trans-Harmony Farms
Country: Uganda
Lead organisation: Initiative of Trans with a Mission-Uganda
In rural Uganda, LGBTQIA+ individuals face severe economic and social exclusion, limiting their access to stable livelihoods and leaving them susceptible to hunger, poverty, and isolation. Trans-Harmony Farms offers an inclusive agricultural hub designed to empower members of theLGBTQIA+ community through sustainable farming practices, skills training, and secure income opportunities. The initiative will establish community greenhouses in Eastern Uganda, providing safe spaces for participants to grow crops, engage in permaculture training, and contribute to local food security.
RETFARMERS GL (Regional Training for Farmers of the Great Lake countries on climate and peace)
Country: Burundi
Lead organisation: AGRICORE
Farmers in the Great Lakes region face challenges from climate change, inefficient farming practices, and limited market access, leading to reduced yields, post-harvest losses, and poverty. Diplomatic tensions further restrict access to training and collaboration. RETFARMER tackles these issues through Farmer Field Schools, where farmers learn soil fertility management, crop cultivation, and plant disease control. The AGRICORE app complements this by enabling farmers to monitor weather, diagnose diseases, and access markets. In 2025, RETFARMER will support 12 cooperatives in Burundi along the Ruzizi River, empowering 600 farmers to adopt innovative practices, boost productivity, and build resilience against climate challenges.
Incentivising Sustainability: Pathways to Resilience in Coffee Agroforestry
Country: Tanzania
Lead organisation: Solidaridad East and Central Africa Expertise Centre (Solidaridad)
Solidaridad is addressing the urgent need for transformative adaptation practices to accelerate the adoption of climate-smart methods among small-scale farmers, aligning food system resilience with sustainability and ecosystem health. The project promotes regenerative agroforestry in coffee systems to enhance profitability, improve coffee quality, and withstand drought, while also creating youth employment through shade tree nursery operations. To overcome barriers to green financing, pre-financing mechanisms and revolving funds are introduced, enabling farmers to access inputs and scale sustainably. Through carbon trading, smallholders earn payments for climate-smart practices via partnerships with Rabobank and the Acorn platform, fostering resilience and sustainable agriculture.
Arid and Semi-arid Lands business incubator initiative through Kenya Arid Lands Value Chains Initiative (KAVADI©)
Country: Kenya
Lead organisation: African Agency for Arid Resources
Entrepreneurs in Northern Kenya face multiple interconnected challenges including restricted market access and a lack of investor connections, leading many enterprises in the region to fail. To address this, the African Agency for Arid Resources Ltd has established the KAVADI Business Incubator, a for-profit entrepreneur support organisation based in Nanyuki. The incubator focuses on value addition, circularity, and climate resilience, with a particular emphasis on empowering women and youth. Beneficiaries will gain skills, market access, and investor connections.
Planting and Management of Indigenous Tree Species for Non-Timber Forest Products in West Pokot, Kenya
Country: Kenya
Lead organisation: Inclusive Small Firms Africa (ISFA) and Boma Ikolojia
Drought in West Pokot County (WPC) exacerbates overgrazing, biodiversity loss, low tree survival, and declining agricultural production, driving land degradation and jeopardising livelihoods. Communities face food and income insecurity, with limited resources to adapt to these worsening conditions. To address these challenges, ISFA and Boma Ikolojia are collaborating with local stakeholders to implement a holistic solution integrating Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), pasture production, and beekeeping. FMNR restores soil fertility, increases biodiversity, and provides vital resources like fuelwood and animal feed during droughts. This project aims to restore landscapes, enhance livelihoods, and build resilience in WPC communities.
Africa Eco-Soil Project
Country: Tanzania
Lead organisation: Africa Harvest Enterprises
Soil degradation threatens agricultural sustainability. Unsustainable farming and food waste worsen this crisis, driving greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion. The project addresses this challenge in Tanzania with climate-smart technology that upcycles biodegradable organic waste into eco-friendly, affordable propagating solutions for farmers. By recycling organic nutrients, the initiative fosters sustainable agriculture, reduces waste, and enhances food security, contributing to environmental resilience and conservation.
CropScan Solar-powered Fertilizer Application Advisory Device
Country: Kenya
Lead organisation: Cropscan
Farmers face various challenges including lessened productivity and crop yield due to soil degradation and unpredictable climate events. Traditional soil testing only reflects nutrient availability, often failing to address plant health or mitigate environmental impacts. CropScan offers a solar-powered IoT (Internet of Things) device that uses Computer Vision and AI to scan crop leaves, identifying nutrient deficiencies in 2–5 seconds. It recommends precise, nature-positive fertilisers, thus reducing costs by over 45% and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. CropScan also integrates an Early Warning Satellite System, predicting high-risk weather events and sending timely alerts.
Ukulima bora, Mazingira Bora Initiative
Country: Kenya
Lead organisation: Chyullu Development Foundation C.B.O.
The Ukulima Bora, Maisha Bora initiative has mobilised 400 farmers in Chyullu and Tsavo’s areas to build resilience and improve socio-economic standards through apiculture. The project enhances traditional beekeeping by upgrading the Chyullu Honey Processors, training farmers, and engaging young people in sustainable hive production. Planned activities include equipping the honey aggregation centre with efficient tools, solarising power systems, and introducing a bio-waste recycling unit to produce organic manure. Honey production is projected to increase by 35%, supported by improved practices, modern equipment, and online marketing. The project will optimise profits and boost bee health through responsible farming.
Zowasel Carbon and Biodiversity Program
Country: Kenya/Tanzania
Lead organisation: Zowasel
Farmers often face challenges in adopting regenerative agriculture, including limited knowledge, fear of profitability loss, and access to resources, hindering sustainable transitions. Zowasel is addressing these barriers by leveraging data science, technology, and nature-based solutions to support 4,000 sorghum farmers in Tanzania’s Singida and Tabora regions. Through its Digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (D-MRV) system, Zowasel enables transparent monitoring, analytics, and reporting for Diageo’s sorghum value chain, transforming it from a carbon source to a carbon sink.
Farmers earn carbon incentives and access ethical financing via Zowasel’s AI-powered Alternative Credit Evaluation Scoring System, ensuring sustainable practices, increased earnings, and resilient communities.