Location
Under development in Colombia, Europe, India, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam and being scoped in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Southern Africa
Stakeholders involved
Institutional funders: Government of the Netherlands, Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Regional delivery partners: AGRA, Grow Asia, Alliance Bioversity & CIAT, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution India, EIT Food. Industry partners: Pepsico, AB Inbev, Bayer, Yara, UPL, Cargill, Mastercard, Microsoft, IBM, Al Dahara, Majid Al Futtaim, Abu Dhabi National Hotels. Other partners: World Farmers Organization, SACAU, WFP Innovation Accelerator, FAO Hand-in-Hand, IFAD, Mercy Corps, Foodvalley and several universities.
Lead organization
Scale
It has mobilized over USD $5 million in catalytic funding and additional co-investment opportunities at the regional/country level. Its overall focus is on increasing cross-sector collaboration and unlocking investments to scale innovations and technology solutions. The focus is on smart and regenerative agriculture practices, low-emissions rice production, soil health and credit systems, food technology solutions for protein diversification, including non-land-based protein and aquaculture adoption of data and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solutions.
million (USD) in catalytic funding and additional co-investment opportunities
Co-investment model
Catalytic funding supports the initiative through institutional and philanthropic donors at a global level, and both institutional and business partners at a regional and country level. At a local level, the Food Innovation Hubs operate as curated multi-stakeholder partnerships that focus on facilitating early-stage investment and co-investment.
Impact
farmers in integrating agri-tech services in India
young producers
The initiative has engaged 600,000+ farmers in integrating agri-tech services in India (Mastercard Farmpass, 15,000; Telangana Chillies Value Chain, 500,000; Maharashtra Women Economic Cooperation, 100,000). It has held regenerative pilots in Colombia with smallholders and commercial producers, including training 120 young producers. Its Producers Collective in the United Arab Emirates ensures AED 1 billion in agriculture investments in the country. The initiative has 250+ innovators engaged in and supported on scaling technologies through the global Food Innovators Network. In terms of food production efficiency, the initiative has seen a 36% increase in barley production through regenerative agricultural practices in Colombia and 4,000 acres diversified to sustainable sugarcane in Madhya Pradesh (India).
Levers and enablers
Key financial levers include financial support for innovation ecosystems (hubs) to catalyze multiple innovations, co-investment models and risk-sharing mechanisms involving the private sector, governments and philanthropies to help mobilize sufficient capital, financial incentives and insurance solutions to encourage farmers to adopt new technologies and market creation tools, such as offtake agreements to provide revenue certainty to innovators and farmers.
The initiative ensures strong governance structures within Hubs and encourages government participation, supportive regulatory frameworks and subsidies and tax incentives. The structured approach to sourcing, shaping and scaling innovations enables the identification and use of relevant solutions. Its activities include co-creation with farmers and end-users, multi-stakeholder collaboration, capacity building and knowledge sharing to technology adoption and sustainable use, and the use of open innovation platforms and challenges to crowdsource and accelerate solutions.
Its Food Innovators Network convenes 250+ stakeholders in 30 countries, to advance knowledge on topics like soil health, foodtech and protein innovation, data and AI for agrifood systems, the food-water nexus and blue food innovation.
Its Food Innovators Network convenes
stakeholders in 30 countries, to advance knowledge on topics like soil health, foodtech and protein innovation, data and AI for agrifood systems, the food-water nexus and blue food innovation.
Barriers
The initiative has identified several key barriers to scaling food innovation. Economic and financial challenges are significant, as developing and adopting new food solutions often requires substantial, long-term investment and faces high production costs. There is a need for financial instruments that can reduce investment risks and encourage broader adoption. For issues like novel food products and food technology adoption, regulatory and approval processes are often complex and region-specific, and can be unpredictable, creating uncertainty and slowing down innovation. Additionally, while consumers express interest in sustainable food, there is a gap between their stated preferences and actual purchasing behavior, with many unwilling to pay more or consistently choose sustainable options. Finally, limited infrastructure – including irrigation, storage, transportation, energy and digital connectivity – curbs the ability to scale innovations, especially in developing regions.
Lessons for scaling
- Organize an ecosystem-based approach, as scaling innovations is most effective when using a structured "source–shape–scale" framework;
- Establish multi-stakeholder partnerships and coalitions, acting as neutral conveners to unite the private sector, governments, NGOs, financial institutions, innovators and farmers;
- Involve farmers as co-designers and implementers, ensuring they actively participate in developing, testing and applying new innovations;
- Leverage digital tools and data analytics to enhance decision-making, resource optimization and market access; ensure these solutions are interoperable, tailored to local contexts and integrated into broader systems, with capacity building for users;
- Promote knowledge sharing and global collaboration through networks, enabling the exchange of best practices and coordinated action on emerging innovations; this accelerates scaling and reduces duplication of efforts.
