January 7, 2020

By Lynda Kiernan

The SEAF Moroccan Growth Fund has closed its fourth investment, acquiring a stake in African precision ag startup SOWIT. 

Launched in April 2018, the SEAF Morocco Growth Fund has $22 million in capital commitments from investors, including BMCE, CCG, CMR, Wise Capital (USAID), and SEAF, that are dedicated to investments in innovative companies at the startup or growth stage across the North Africa region. 

The startup’s founding team is comprised of Hamza Rkha Chaham, an individual with extensive experience in developing precision agriculture tools and solutions in several African countries, and Hamza Bendahou, who has a background in finance and engineering, and brings experience in mathematical modeling and construction of autonomous long-range drones. 

Together they have launched SOWIT, offering digital solutions that will enable Africa’s farmers to conserve irrigated water resources and reduce fertilizer requirements for a range of crops including maize, cereals, sugar cane, and citrus.

The company gathers crop data using satellite and drone imagery, and then uses proprietary AI and machine learning technologies, based on agronomic models developed in partnership with ag research centers in Europe and Morocco, to analyze the imagery with historical climate data to produce predictions and recommendations for improving operational management.

“We are delighted with our investment in SOWIT which, thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, provides African farmers with cutting-edge technological solutions in a sector with great challenges,” said Meriem Zairi, managing director, SEAF Morocco Growth Fund.

With a presence in Paris, Casablanca, and Dakar, SOWIT has been on the receiving end of some impressive accolades, including being chosen from among 1,000 startups by Station F Incubator, the largest incubator in the world, as one of the 40 most promising startups, and chosen by Forbes France as a member of its top 40 list. 

With the capital from this investment SOWIT plans to accelerate the development of the company’s products and services, and to expand its geographic footprint across Africa.

“We help African farmers to better understand their crops to improve their decision-making and sustainably optimize their yields,” said Chaham. “This investment will allow us to accelerate our deployment and contribute to raising the productivity and sustainability levels of a continent that contains more than 50 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land.”

Bendahou agreed, noting how this investment from SEAF will have a dual benefit for the company, saying, “Between the field, laboratories and the development of technological solutions, we work daily to provide farmers with precise information that directly drives critical operations. SEAF’s investment will enable us to strengthen the scientific component as well as our presence in the field.”

– Lynda Kiernan is Editor with GAI Media and daily contributor to the GAI News and Agtech Intel platforms. If you would like to submit a contribution for consideration, please contact Ms. Kiernan at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.