Ugandan Agritech Startup SANDI AI Wins $50,000 GoGettaz Prize

Ugandan agritech startup SANDI AI Technologies has won the 2026 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize, receiving $50,000 in growth funding for its work using artificial intelligence and community financing to help smallholder farmers access irrigation and other agricultural infrastructure. Founded by Ugandan entrepreneur Sandra Nabakka, SANDI AI received the female-led Grand Prize at the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, where young agripreneurs from across Africa competed for recognition and funding. The prize was announced on September 3 as part of the 2026 GoGettaz Agripreneur competition.

The award gives SANDI AI funding to strengthen its technology and expand its reach to more farming communities across Africa.

SANDI AI’s Financing Model

SANDI AI was created around a problem Nabakka encountered in her own family. Her father struggled to secure financing for irrigation equipment because he did not have sufficient funds or conventional collateral. That experience led Nabakka to explore an alternative financing model that would allow farmers to pool resources and collectively acquire agricultural equipment.

Today, SANDI AI uses an AI-powered platform to organise farmers into groups based on their crops and irrigation requirements. Members contribute through mobile money, with the pooled funds used to finance irrigation systems through a rotational model.

As groups continue contributing, different members receive access to the equipment until the financing cycle is completed. The model is designed to address a problem that affects millions of African smallholder farmers: having productive land and farming experience does not necessarily mean having access to the capital required to invest in irrigation, clean energy or other productivity-enhancing equipment.

Using AI for Irrigation

SANDI AI is also using technology to make irrigation more efficient once farmers gain access to the equipment.

Its platform combines information from soil-moisture sensors, weather data, crop requirements and other farm-level information to help farmers determine where water is needed most.

The company recently described its approach as an AI-guided system that can identify which sections of a farm should be irrigated first, helping farmers reduce unnecessary water use and improve productivity.

Farmers can receive recommendations through digital channels including WhatsApp, SMS and USSD, allowing the technology to reach users who may not have smartphones or reliable internet access.

The company is also exploring additional data sources, including satellite imagery, to improve its ability to monitor farms and provide more targeted recommendations.

Expanding Access to Farm Equipment

The company now operates across East Africa and says its platform has supported thousands of farmer groups. It has also facilitated about $800,000 worth of irrigation assets for organised farmer groups across three East African countries, according to an account shared by Nabakka.

Its model is also expanding beyond irrigation, with the financing and technology infrastructure designed to support access to other agricultural and clean-energy assets. The company's data tools are intended to help farmers build stronger financial profiles that could improve their access to financing over time.

SANDI AI’s Expansion Plans

For SANDI AI, the $50,000 award comes as the company looks to expand its reach across Africa.

Nabakka has said the startup wants to make solar-powered irrigation more accessible to farmers who have traditionally been excluded from conventional financing. The company is also developing its technology around the idea that farmers should be able to access infrastructure based on their actual needs and ability to contribute, rather than simply their ability to provide traditional collateral.

Irrigation can help farmers reduce their dependence on rainfall, but the upfront cost of pumps, solar systems and other equipment remains a major barrier. SANDI AI is attempting to address both sides of the problem by combining financing with technology that helps farmers use the infrastructure more efficiently.

The GoGettaz win gives the company additional capital to strengthen its platform and reach more farming communities as it develops its model across Africa.