A 22-year-old local entrepreneur is using AI to tackle climate risks and finance challenges facing smallholder farmers.
Wamkelwe Mkhabela, co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Imvelo Tech and Media Group, believes artificial intelligence (AI) can help transform African agriculture by giving farmers access to better data, improved decision-making tools and stronger financial records.
Mkhabela shared the company’s journey during the Eswatini International Trade Fair (EITF) 2026 seminar hosted by Pigg’s Peak iHub under the theme, ‘Innovation for Sustainable Growth: Empowering Youth, SMEs and Startups to Unlock Green Economy Opportunities in Eswatini’ on Monday.
The seminar brought together young entrepreneurs, SMEs, investors, government representatives, students and technology stakeholders to explore how innovation can drive sustainable economic growth.
Imvelo Tech and Media Group’s flagship product, the Imvelo App Suite, was initially developed as a climate resilience solution to help farmers anticipate weather risks and make data-driven decisions. The platform includes tools such as a climate volatility engine, smart irrigation planner and AI-powered pest and disease diagnosis for crops and livestock.
However, through engagements with farmers across Africa, the company identified another major barrier: limited access to finance. Mkhabela said many smallholder farmers struggled to secure funding because they lack formal financial records that demonstrate the performance of their businesses.
“We realised that climate resilience was only one part of the challenge. Farmers also needed tools to organise their finances and become more visible to financial institutions,” said Mkhabela.
In response, Imvelo expanded its platform to include a digital agribusiness ledger and an AI financial advisory service. The system helps farmers record income and expenses, generate financial reports and receive insights into profitability, risks and loan readiness.
“We are building a digital operating layer for the smallholder farmer — a platform that helps farmers understand their climate, crops, livestock, finances and ultimately their businesses,” Mkhabela said.
The company’s vision is to bridge the gap between agriculture, technology and finance by equipping farmers with tools that can improve productivity, resilience and access to opportunities. Through initiatives such as the EITF seminar, young innovators like Mkhabela are highlighting the role of technology-driven entrepreneurship in shaping Eswatini’s contribution to Africa’s future economy.
