Like some other regions in Africa, North Africa’s agritech is largely male-led. Women-led ventures are also playing their part in harnessing technology to enhance efficiency, conserve resources, and bolster food security in a region rich with agricultural potential. This article spotlights 7 of these ventures, which span Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco.
Seabex
Seabex was founded by Amira Cheniour in 2020 after experiencing crop losses on her own farm due to drought in southern Tunisia. With a background in agriculture precision irrigation and engineering, she partnered with Taher Mestiri to develop AI solutions that could prevent such setbacks. Her drive stems from a personal commitment to sustainable farming that supports rural communities.
The core technology is an AI-driven platform that makes sensorless, delivering accuracy comparable to traditional sensors without the hardware costs. It analyses data from satellite imagery, weather patterns, and crop-specific needs to provide real-time recommendations on water and fertiliser use. Farmers access this via a user-friendly app, which automates adjustments and predicts optimal irrigation schedules, adapting to local soil types and varieties common in Tunisia, like olives and grains.
Seabex has delivered tangible results, saving an average of 30% in water usage and boosting crop yields by 20-40% across pilots in France and Tunisia. The company has reached hundreds of farmers, covering thousands of hectares, and secured seed funding in 2024, led by Water Unite Impact. It earned recognition as a World Economic Forum Uplink Top Innovator and joined Google’s Climate Change Accelerator for the Middle East and Africa.
FreshSource
FreshSource redefines how fresh produce moves from farm to table, creating seamless connections that cut waste and boost incomes for Egyptian growers. This platform turns fragmented logistics into a streamlined network, ensuring fruits and vegetables reach markets fresher and faster.
Egypt’s produce supply chain suffers from high post-harvest losses, with around 30% of crops wasted due to poor storage, transportation delays, and excessive middlemen. FreshSource’s B2B platform uses data analytics to link farmers directly with buyers like restaurants, hotels, and retailers. It manages the entire value chain, including cold storage, packing, and transportation, providing transparent pricing and logistics tracking. Algorithms predict supply trends and optimise routes, reducing spoilage and enabling consistent deliveries across Egypt’s diverse terrain.
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The company supplies 11 cities, connecting thousands of producers to hundreds of businesses. It has reduced market prices for buyers while increasing farmer incomes through fairer deals. FreshSource raised a seven-figure seed round in 2022 from investors like 4DX Ventures and Wamda, followed by further funding in 2025 from Village Capital, and won the Cartier Women’s Initiative award in 2023.
Farah Emara co-founded FreshSource in 2019 with her brother Omar, drawing from her experience in supply chain management and a passion for food security. Educated in business and inspired by Egypt’s distribution systems, she aimed to build sustainable systems that empower producers.
Jodoor
Jodoor, founded by Sokayna Bellam and with Amine Derj, pioneers hydroponic farming tailored for Morocco’s challenging environments, turning water-scarce lands into productive hubs for fresh greens.
Jodoor’s mid-tech hydroponic systems grow crops in nutrient-rich water solutions without soil, customised for Moroccan conditions like high temperatures and limited resources. The franchised model provides turnkey greenhouses specialising in leafy vegetables and herbs, incorporating simple automation for nutrient delivery and climate control to maximise output in rural areas.
The venture achieves 80% water savings, 87.5% higher yields, and zero pesticide use compared to conventional methods. It bootstrapped $200,000 in revenue by 2024, created jobs in rural communities, and expanded through franchises. Jodoor won the Climate Launchpad competition and participated in UNIDO’s Global Cleantech Innovation Programme.
Noticeable Trends Among the 3 Ventures
1. Technology at the Core
None of these ventures treats technology as an add-on; it is built into the DNA of their business. Seabex’s AI-powered irrigation management tools, FreshSource’s data-driven supply chain platform, and Jodoor’s precision-controlled hydroponic systems all place tech at the centre of their value proposition. This integration enables them to scale quickly, respond to changing environmental conditions, and maintain consistent quality.
2. Sustainability and Resource Efficiency
Operating in a region where water scarcity, climate variability, and land degradation are constant challenges, these ventures have embedded sustainability into their operations. Seabex optimises irrigation to conserve water, FreshSource shortens supply chains to cut waste, and Jodoor produces more food with fewer resources. Each business proves that profitability and environmental stewardship can coexist.
3. Direct Solutions to Local Pain Points
Rather than importing foreign agricultural models wholesale, these ventures build from the ground up to address the region’s most pressing agricultural issues, whether it’s minimising post-harvest losses, increasing food security, or using less water to grow more food. This grounded approach ensures their solutions are not just innovative but deeply relevant to the communities they serve.
4. Scalability Across Borders
While rooted in their respective home countries, the models these ventures have developed are adaptable to other African and MENA markets. Water-saving irrigation systems, digital farmer-to-market platforms, and controlled-environment farming have clear applications in multiple geographies facing similar environmental and supply chain constraints.
5. Alignment with Global Development Goals
In different ways, each venture advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), and Climate Action (SDG 13). This alignment not only enhances their social impact but also positions them for greater access to global funding, partnerships, and policy support.
