With a degree in finance, he now devotes himself to his two passions: agriculture and technology. He champions responsible farming that respects the environment and leverages technology to achieve his goals.
Josias Wendinda Kere (photo), a Burkinabe financial market analyst and entrepreneur, has merged his passions for agriculture and technology through his startup, Agri Minga, established in 2018. As the CEO, Kere is at the forefront of revolutionizing African agriculture with hydroponic and aeroponic soil-less farming techniques, as well as smart greenhouse cultivation.
His company, Agri Minga, develops both environmentally friendly and socially impactful agriculture in Burkina Faso. By eschewing chemicals and genetically modified organisms, it grows a variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and herbs, in a controlled environment. The company also markets soil-less farming kits and incorporates task-tracking technology to optimize growth conditions.
From April 15 to 18, 2024, Agri Minga will participate in the World Electronics Forum in Morocco, providing Kere an opportunity to share his insights and collaborate with other industry stakeholders.
Kere has received support from various African development programs. A former participant in the AGreenLab program, supported by organizations such as Impact Hub and La Fabrique, he also accessed an acceleration program from the Orange group. This support enabled him to "finalize the design of a tool for controlling and monitoring agricultural parameters in greenhouses or open fields," he told We Are Tech Africa.
When asked about his development goals, Josias Wendinda Kere stated, "Our objective is to expand our service range by introducing innovative new offerings such as an artificial intelligence-managed control and monitoring module. We also aim to recruit the necessary skills to provide superior service and establish strategic partnerships with research institutions in the agricultural sector."
Josias Wendinda Kere holds a professional degree in banking, finance, and microfinance, earned in 2008 from the African Institute of Management. In 2010, he earned a master's in management and finance, specializing in financial markets, from the Ecole Supérieure de Gestion et Finance (ESG) in Paris. Additionally, he has developed computer skills since middle school.
After completing his studies, he worked for several years in the banking and finance sector. Among other positions, he served as a trader analyst at Holding Bourse and Investment from 2011 to 2013. From 2012 to 2023, he taught courses in trading and technical analysis, securities negotiation on capital markets, and computer programming. In 2016 and 2017, he was the consultant responsible for managing foreign exchange risk at SONABHY, Burkina Faso’s national hydrocarbons corporation.
Melchior Koba
