A Canadian agri-tech company is gaining international recognition for a practical innovation that could reshape how small-scale dairy farmers manage milk safety, energy use, and profitability in East Africa.
Safi International Technologies has been awarded a $100,000 USD Growth Grant through the Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge, an international competition designed to support solutions that strengthen global food systems. The company was recognized for its small-scale milk pasteurization control device, which is already showing promise in improving both food safety and farm incomes in emerging dairy markets.
East Africa has the highest global incidence of milk-borne diseases. Alarmingly, 30% of deaths are in children under 5. This is because 90% of milk in East Africa is sold through informal, unregulated markets which lack the tools for safety and transparency. Safi International Technologies tagline is "Creating the tools to support a safe and transparent dairy supply chain in East Africa."
While the technology is being deployed in Africa, its implications extend well beyond one region. The innovation highlights how affordable, energy-efficient processing tools can add value at the farm gate and increase resilience in a changing agricultural landscape.
Making Milk Safer Without Sacrificing Quality
At its core, Safi’s device addresses a long-standing challenge in small-scale dairy production: how to ensure milk is safe for consumption without degrading its nutritional value or requiring costly infrastructure.
The system enables precise control of the pasteurization process, helping farmers eliminate harmful pathogens while preserving key nutrients. Unlike conventional systems that may rely on inconsistent heat sources or lack monitoring, this device integrates digital tracking to improve both accuracy and traceability.
Traceability is becoming increasingly important in food systems around the world. Consumers are asking more questions about where their food comes from and how it is handled. Technologies that provide verifiable data can help build trust while also opening doors to new markets.
Renewable Energy Meets On-Farm Processing
One of the most notable features of the device is its ability to operate using renewable energy. This makes it particularly valuable in regions where access to reliable electricity is limited.
Small-scale dairy operators often face tight margins, and energy-intensive equipment can be a barrier to on-farm processing. By integrating renewable power options, innovations like this one demonstrate how farms can move toward lower-cost, lower-emission production systems.
For producers interested in value-added dairy products such as bottled milk, cheese, or yogurt, energy-efficient processing solutions could make diversification more accessible.
A New Model: Pay-as-You-Pasteurize
Safi International Technologies is also introducing a flexible payment approach that may resonate with small farmers globally. Its “pay-as-you-pasteurize” model allows producers to access the technology without significant upfront investment, paying instead based on usage.
This type of model is increasingly being explored in agriculture, where capital costs often limit adoption of new technologies. By lowering financial barriers, it enables more farmers to participate in value-added processing and improve their income streams.
In Rwanda, where the technology will be deployed to support climate-displaced dairy farmers, the approach is expected to increase both milk safety and economic stability.
Global Recognition for Food System Innovation
The Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge is a major international initiative aimed at identifying and scaling innovations that improve food security, sustainability, and equity. In its fifth year, the competition attracted more than 1,600 applications from 112 countries, reflecting the growing urgency to transform how food is produced and distributed.
Awards are distributed across three levels, supporting solutions at different stages of development. Safi’s Growth Grant places it among a small group of technologies that are ready to scale and deliver measurable impact.
“Each year, the Seeding The Future Global Food System Challenge reminds us that transformative innovations to enable safe, nutritious, affordable and trusted food can emerge from every corner of the world,” said Bernhard van Lengerich, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Seeding The Future Foundation. “This year’s winners exemplify the ingenuity and determination needed to address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges.”
As global food systems continue to evolve, solutions that combine simplicity, affordability, and sustainability are likely to shape the future of farming. Safi International Technologies’ success offers a clear example of how Canadian innovation can contribute to that transformation while providing practical inspiration for small farmers at home.