An exciting new push called Innovatech 2.0 has picked 16 startups to bring easy digital tools to small farmers and rural groups, aiming to help 17,000 households grow more, sell better and handle floods and droughts; the plan will reach several Latin American countries and for the first time extend to Bangladesh, showing how local ideas can spread across regions to help more people. The chosen startups cover four clear areas — agtech, e-commerce, edtech and fintech — so farmers get help from seed to sale, with data tools and traceability to improve crops, online marketplaces to cut food loss, short training programmes for new skills and finance options that fit rural life. About 340 rural organisations will gain direct access to these services, and each startup will receive technical support, mentorship and an equity-free grant of ninety thousand US dollars to adapt their solutions for village realities and low-bandwidth phones. The programme aims to boost climate resilience by helping farmers cope with droughts and floods, and it supports agroecology so technology helps protect soil, water and biodiversity while reducing chemical use. E-commerce teams will link producers to buyers and reduce waste, edtech partners will deliver short, clear lessons to farmers and youth, and fintech solutions will build simple saving and credit products to widen access to finance for people who have been left out. Innovatech 2.0 is funded by IFAD with support from the European Union and builds on earlier work that reached more households than planned, which attracted new partners and public actors ready to co-finance and expand the model. To scale impact, the programme will work with local governments, project hubs and innovation partners so promising tools can grow into lasting services, and one public project has agreed to fund additional startups to widen reach. A hub edition model will train local organisations to use the Innovatech approach so more communities can adopt tested tools and keep learning. Special attention will be given to include women and young people, so benefits and leadership opportunities spread widely across rural areas. By mixing small grants, shared learning, public–private links and training, Innovatech 2.0 aims not just to test technology but to help small producers reach fair prices, improve food quality and build safer, greener livelihoods for many families. Local communities will lead and benefit together for generations.
