Leading agricultural technology company, ThriveAgric in partnership with OCP Africa has concluded the debut edition of the ‘Abuja Tech Converge - TechXcelerate’ conference, championing sustainable farming in Africa
The two-day event brought together some of Nigeria’s most influential players in technology including startup founders, policy makers, ecosystem enablers and high-powered government officials, to discuss the challenges, innovations and opportunities for technology in the region. Hosted at the Peachvine Marquee, Abuja, with more than 500 people in total attendance, industry experts discussed collaborative technology for community impact, sustainable technology and impact investing, as well as Talents: nurturing the next generation of innovators, among other content tracks.
In his opening keynote address, Senator Isa Yuguda, former governor of Bauchi State called on the government to channel more investment into the agriculture sector in areas like technology and infrastructure to address the problem of food insecurity and hunger. He further stated that the revitalisation of the country’s river basins and construction of more dams will immensely drive this. Echoing the ex-governor’s position on the role of technology, Akintunde Akinwade, head of Business Development and Digital Projects at OCP Africa, said that the Abuja Tech Converge would showcase the potential of technology in reshaping the future of agriculture, which will engender sustainable communities.
During the event, ThriveAgric unveiled the first set of graduating interns in their six-month Tech-Talent Accelerated Programme (TAP), launched in May this year. The programme is designed to support young tech enthusiasts looking to achieve their dreams in the ever-evolving world of technology. Out of the 4,000 applications that were received, only 20 candidates were admitted into the intensive programme where the successful participants were upskilled in core technical areas including frontend development, backend development, and product (UI/UX) design. The closing activity was a techathon sponsored by OCP Africa, whereby a cash prize of US$2,533 was awarded to a group of four interns who designed a healthcare solution capable of providing personalised healthcare services to patients.
“The growing demand for tech talents in the ecosystem has led ThriveAgric to build a specialised programme that fosters a diverse pool of talented professionals prepared to tackle key industry challenges both within the agri-tech industry and other sectors. Our biggest impact is that we’ve transformed participating interns into skilled professionals," said ThriveAgric's head of People and Culture, Favour Eze. "This new level of expertise has resulted in seven of the 20 participants being offered employment opportunities both internally and with our programme partners, as well as another five graduated interns who are currently undergoing recruitment processes by other organisations. This is a step in empowering African youth to achieve their career dreams.”
For more information, visit: https://www.thriveagric.com/
