The 2025 SEED4AFRICA National Hackathon in Nairobi – held on 27 and 28 February at the Don Bosco Boys Town campus – gathered over 100 students in 8 teams to develop solutions addressing Kenya’s environmental, agricultural, and community challenges.
A number of teams focused on boosting agricultural productivity through sustainable and scalable models. Two poultry projects – Chicken Rearing and Large Scale Chicken Rearing – highlighted the potential of chicken farming as both an economic and environmental solution. Alongside these, the Greenhouse Nursery Seedling Production team offered a vital contribution to crop health by producing disease-free, high-quality seedlings for farmers.
Water conservation was a major theme, highlighted by the Don Bosco Oasis of Hope project, which proposed advanced rainwater harvesting, purification, and distribution systems for Marsabit’s arid regions, supporting both local communities and businesses while aligning with SDGs 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation – and 13 – Climate Action. Makuyu Aquaponics showcased an integrated aquaponics model that pairs fish rearing with vegetable cultivation and includes farmer training.
B-Natural Company was also presented, a project by a team from Embu dedicated to reducing food waste and empowering farmers by transforming fresh produce into healthy, long-life, ready-to-use products that add value to fruit and vegetables.
Youth empowerment in regenerative farming was promoted by YEIRA, while KK Waste Managers – a team of young people from the Kakuma refugee camp – emphasized comprehensive waste reduction and recycling.
After careful analysis by a jury of experts, the Makuyu Aquaponics team emerged as the overall winner, recognized for their innovative and scalable approach to sustainable food production.
Of particular note is the participation in the event of Mr. Ondrej Simek, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Kenya.