IGNITE Climate innovation challenge: Innovation meets Resilience

At the kick-off event hosted on 5 September, local climate-resilient food systems innovators and entrepreneurs gathered to pitch innovative initiatives that address the impact of climate change on the food security of communities in the Afar and Amhara regions.

Supported by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA), this initiative underscores the importance of local solutions to address Ethiopia’s evolving climate challenges by focusing on three core areas: markets and consumption, climate-adaptive agriculture, and water resource innovations. The overarching goal is to enhance climate resilience while empowering innovators to shape sustainable, climate-smart food systems.

WFP and partners received 143 applications through an open call, and 12 innovators who fulfilled the selection criteria were invited to pitch their ideas to a group of judges. The innovators took centre stage to present their context-specific local solutions for climate resilience and food security in the Afar and Amhara regions. Nervous yet determined after the coaching sessions they received ahead of the pitch day on how to pitch to investors, the participants shared ideas ranging from climate-adaptive integrated agriculture to improved agricultural technologies and inputs, to water resource management to climate-smart fish farming. 

The atmosphere was electrified as the entrepreneurs faced the panel one by one. The judges’ encouragement and constructive inputs echoed around the room. All participants walked away with valuable insights and a deeper resolve to become agents of change for their communities.

Of the 12 semifinalists, six were selected to dive into the next stage of the programme, a bootcamp followed by three-months of acceleration. These participants will receive tailored training, mentorship, funding, and the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse network of stakeholders, allowing them to reach their full potential. As Ethiopia continues to face increasing challenges due to the impact of climate change, the IGNITE Climate Innovation Challenge aims to develop the private sector’s capacity to provide innovative solutions so communities can thrive amidst adversities. The selected innovations contribute to enhancing regional food systems transformations as well as WFP’s resilience programmes. Watch this space to see how the successful, selected innovators bring their projects to fruition!