Eight Caribbean Technology and Innovation Hubs have been selected to participate in the Agrihack Talent Caribbean competition, which seeks to support the development of ICT innovations and entrepreneurship in agriculture by young tech talent. The event is being staged by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), in collaboration with institutions including the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and ConnectiMass Hub (cHub).

(Post written by Outbox Hub in Uganda)

Ensibuuko is a web and mobile application that enables savings and credit cooperative societies (SACCOs) of smallholder  rural farmers mobilise savings, receive and disburse loans easily and quickly using SMS and Mobile money.

Poor access to credit and savings, uncertainty about which fertiliser to use, difficulties in attracting capital and ensuring efficient farm management – these are some of the most intractable problems facing small-scale farmers in ACP countries, so addressing them can make all the difference between success and failure.

The AgriHack Talent Caribbean initiative has been launched with the planning meeting that was held in Jamaïca. A Call for Expression of Interest will be launched on 2 August 2014 to the attention of Caribbean labs and hubs interested to partner on the programme.