A team of students from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has emerged as the winner of the 2026 Pan African AI Summit Hack-AI-Thon. The team, known as Husker AI, developed an artificial intelligence-powered solution to help cocoa farmers turn discarded cocoa pod husks into an additional source of income. The competition, held as part of the second edition of the Pan African AI & Innovation Summit, took place on September 22-23, 2026, at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra.
The Hack-AI-Thon received over 200 applications, which were narrowed down to 25 teams that pitched their solutions at the AI Hub in Accra. Five teams advanced to the final stage, where they presented before a panel of judges and investors, with Husker AI emerging as the overall winner. The winning team, consisting of Frank Agyare, Caleb Antwi, Wilhelmina Adjah, Elijah Ayinomba, and Joseph Amankwaah, secured a US$1,000 cash prize and special startup mentorship.
Husker AI's solution aims to address the underutilization of cocoa pod husks, which are commonly left on farms, burned, or allowed to decompose. The platform uses AI to help farmers assess their cocoa pod husks through a smartphone, estimating quantity, quality, and market value in local currency, and connecting them with potential buyers. The solution seeks to connect farmers with businesses that can use cocoa pod husks as raw materials for products such as livestock feed, organic fertilizer, and biochar.
The project is being developed with the realities of smallholder farmers in mind, including offline functionality and support for local languages such as Twi, Ewe, and Fante. This makes the platform more accessible in farming communities where internet connectivity can be limited. The team's achievement adds to an earlier recognition for Husker AI at the Ghana AI Innovation Challenge, where they finished as runner-up and received a Certificate of Commendation.
The Pan African AI & Innovation Summit, held under the theme "Scaling Africa's Ethical AI & Innovation Ecosystem: Building Youth Capacity, Policy, Partnerships and Skills," brought together over 1,000 delegates from over 40 countries. The summit's discussions spanned AI innovation, skills development, policy, partnerships, and Africa's digital future. Husker AI's victory places KNUST students among young African innovators developing technology to solve local challenges.
The team's next phase will focus on developing Husker AI beyond the competition environment. Priorities include expanding the local image dataset with cocoa pod husk samples, improving AI models, piloting the platform with farmers and cooperatives, engaging agricultural extension officers, and strengthening relationships with potential buyers. These steps will determine the concept's effectiveness under real farming conditions and whether the technology can deliver reliable estimates.
KNUST's Department of Computer Science described the project as an example of interdisciplinary collaboration between computing and business students to address practical challenges through technology. The achievement represents more than a competition prize for the team, offering an opportunity to further develop a solution that connects artificial intelligence, agriculture, sustainability, and income generation around one of Ghana's most important agricultural commodities.
Key points
- KNUST students win Pan African AI Summit Hack-AI-Thon with AI-powered solution to turn cocoa waste into income.
- The solution, Husker AI, aims to connect farmers with businesses that can use cocoa pod husks as raw materials.
- The team's achievement adds to an earlier recognition for Husker AI at the Ghana AI Innovation Challenge.
