ZiraaLink launches AI marketplace to streamline Africa-Middle East agricultural trade
Agritech startup ZiraaLink has launched an artificial intelligence-driven marketplace designed to eliminate middlemen and optimize supply chains between African producers and Middle Eastern food importers.
ZiraaLink has introduced a comprehensive digital ecosystem aimed at restructuring agricultural trade between Africa and the Middle East. The platform utilizes artificial intelligence and real-time data to connect farmers directly with international buyers. This intervention targets a trade corridor historically plagued by fragmented supply chains, inconsistent quality standards, and severe logistical bottlenecks.
For investors and market professionals, the disintermediation of this supply chain presents a significant efficiency opportunity. By allowing producers to list their harvest and set their own prices, the platform removes traditional middlemen. This structural shift aims to boost farmer incomes while securing more reliable commodity flows for the Middle East, a region that represents one of the world’s fastest-growing food import markets.
The platform addresses the historical lack of real-time data and unstable supply networks through predictive analytics. ZiraaLink’s AI-powered forecasting tools are designed to anticipate crop demand, manage risk, and reduce post-harvest losses. Furthermore, the system incorporates specific trade tools to handle supply chain resilience, trade execution, and tariff compliance, simplifying complex cross-border transactions for stakeholders.
Beyond direct marketplace services, the ecosystem integrates financial institutions, suppliers, and advisory services to support the broader agricultural value chain. Users also receive technical guidance and agronomical support through a dedicated training component. By bringing these disparate stakeholders together, the platform attempts to build a more resilient and sustainable food future across both regions.
The initiative is led by Maimouna Oumarou, who is also the founder and chief executive of the Maimouna Oumarou Group and Africa Global News. Oumarou brings 16 years of experience in news and media to the agritech sector, aiming to amplify African voices while reshaping global narratives around the continent's agricultural potential.
