The Role of Digital Innovation and Agritech Startups in Strengthening Food Supply Chain Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to investigate how digital innovations, including blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), ICT services, and agritech startup interventions, can improve the resilience of food supply chains throughout Sub-Saharan Africa is the main topic of this review of the literature. Considering new or established technologies (like artificial intelligence, sensors, precision fermentation, robotics, nanotechnologies, and genomics) that make up Agriculture 4.0 and Food 4.0, AgriFoodTech start-ups are increasingly being recognized as important participants in the discussion and actualization of the transformation of food systems. In major academic databases, we searched for empirical and conceptual research published between 2020 and 2025 on the effects of the aforementioned technology on agro-food chains that have been disrupted by the COVID-19 epidemic, conflict, climate change, and infrastructure shortages. According to the main conclusions, the food supply chain may be made more transparent and traceable through the use of blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (IoT). Information and communication technology (ICT) services that are mobile-based also improve market information flow and accessibility. Agritech firms have the potential to accelerate the adoption of innovations, according to encouraging data, but there are also structural issues with infrastructure, cost, and regulatory frameworks. In order to create innovation-driven, resilient, and egalitarian food systems in unstable contexts, this study combines resilience results with established barrier and enabler structures and provides helpful frameworks to improve the digital-entrepreneurial ecosystem. In vulnerable circumstances, the study shows how the interaction of digital space, startup ecosystems, and systemic issues results in the development of effective infrastructures.