SmartFarm Technologies, a KNUST postgraduate startup, has won $10,000 in the World Food Programme (WFP) Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Challenge to scale its eco-friendly grain drying solution.

The team, under the mentorship of Professor Joseph Oppong Akowuah, comprises Miss Emmanuella Odoom, an MPhil student in Food and Postharvest Engineering; Mr. Paa Kwasi Saka Dankyi, an MPhil candidate in Renewable Energy Technology; and Mr. Funchious Paul Mensah, an alumnus of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Their innovation, a hybrid green dryer powered by both solar and biomass energy, is designed to tackle post-harvest losses, one of Ghana’s agricultural challenges. The solution offers smallholder farmers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional open-sun drying methods, which often result in significant grain spoilage.

The WFP Challenge brought together ten agritech startups from across Ghana through a rigorous incubation programme. The final pitch competition was held from 16th to 18th July 2025 at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, Legon.

SmartFarm Technologies distinguished itself through its strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and farmer-centered design qualities that align with WFP’s broader goal of reducing food insecurity by addressing post-harvest losses.

One of the team members, Mr. Paa Kwasi Saka Dankyi, shared how the grant will be utilised.

“We plan to use the funds to install a biomass-solar-assisted green dryer in a local community to help reduce post-harvest losses among small-scale farmers,” he said.