Africa-Press – Eswatini. Kwakhanya PlantiQ, the student-led company from Ekukhanyeni High School in Eswatini, has achieved a historic feat on the continental stage, securing an unprecedented three major awards at the Junior Achievement (JA) Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition held in Nigeria.
The team’s journey began with a significant victory on home soil, where they were crowned the national champions at the JA Eswatini Expo. This success earned them the prestigious opportunity to represent the kingdom at the continental competition. Carrying the hopes of Eswatini, their innovative smart-farming solution resonated profoundly with the international judging panel, leading to their triple-award victory.
The Kwakhanya PlantiQ team, comprising CEO Matse Takitsi, Chief Operation Officer Mdluli Mncobi, Sales and Marketing Manager Dlamini Gcinile, and Chief Financial Officer Fakudze Temantolo, was accompanied by their dedicated teacher, Mr. Qhawe Shabangu.
Despite traveling to Nigeria with the goal of securing the overall first prize, their performance resulted in a stunning triple-award victory in one night:
The Kuda Young Entrepreneurs Award: Recognizing their identity and success as young African innovators.
The PMIEF Best Application of Project Management Award: Validating the rigorous planning and execution of their project management.
The Girls Lead Award: Celebrating the empowerment and leadership demonstrated by the young women on the team.
The team reflected on the gravity of their achievement: “Although we did not achieve that specific outcome, we experienced something even more powerful: Kwakhanya PlantiQ won THREE major awards in one night.” They added that the exchange of ideas, cultures, and visions with innovators from other African countries was just as inspiring as the awards themselves.
The company’s core business focuses on bridging technology and agriculture to solve critical challenges faced by local farmers. Kwakhanya PlantiQ’s flagship innovation is a sophisticated yet accessible smart irrigation and fertigation system.
This device serves as a practical, data-driven tool that continuously monitors crucial soil parameters, including moisture and nutrient levels, in real-time. This allows farmers to precisely manage water and fertilizer usage, ensuring optimal resource allocation, promoting sustainability, and directly enhancing local food security.
The team noted why they believe their work resonated so strongly with the judges, stating: “We believe the judges connected with our mission to use technology to solve real agricultural challenges… What resonated strongly is that our work is rooted in community impact.” They highlighted the Kuda Young Entrepreneurs Award as holding the deepest meaning: “It speaks directly to our identity as young African innovators, building solutions that solve real problems in agriculture. It validates our business model, our resilience, and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives PlantIQ forward.”
With the competition phase complete, Kwakhanya PlantiQ is now focused on the next phase of growth, declaring, “Competition is over, it’s now time for real business.” The visibility and momentum from these awards will fuel their immediate priorities, which include enhancing and refining the PlantiQ device, expanding their pilot sites and field testing operations, increasing production capacity, and preparing for a broader market rollout.
The team offered heartfelt thanks to the partners who made the journey possible: Ekukhanyeni High School for believing in their vision, JA Eswatini for building their capacity and guiding their journey, and Standard Bank for making opportunities like this possible.
Kwakhanya PlantiQ concluded their statement with renewed determination: “We may not have reached the top three this year, but we came home with something equally powerful: recognition of our impact, validation of our mission, and renewed determination to keep building. The mission continues. The vision is strong. And this is only the beginning for Kwakhanya PlantIQ.”
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