Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq

22 / Accra, Ghana

Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq is used to defying the odds. From a young age, he was fascinated by computing and electronics and taught himself to code by watching YouTube tutorials. Having quickly picked up the skills, he began making apps for his friends and before long, Mustapha had created a machine-learning model that was able to detect early signs of breast cancer. Now proficient in his field, he is teaching the next generation of Ghanaians to code as an instructor and developer at Ghana Code Club.

Growing up in Accra, Ghana, Mustapha has always been concerned about agriculture and his surrounding environment and in 2018, he brought his two worlds together. Together with co-owner Ernestina Appiah, Mustapha began the Okuafo Foundation, a social enterprise spearheaded by an app that helps farmers scan their crops and detect pest infestation.

The Okaufo app has brought Mustapha to the cutting-edge of agricultural innovation and is benefitting hundreds of rural West African farmers. Using the real-time AI-powered tool, farmers can take steps to protect their own crops and harvests but safeguard the environment from harmful and ineffective pesticides.

The young entrepreneur has big plans for his technology and for sustainable crop growth in Ghana. As one download can be shared between up to 50 farmers in a community, he hopes to create a network of users across the country over the next few years. Mustapha is currently working on extending his monitoring services to small- and large-scale cocoa farmers.

“I see a future here people are more conscious of how their food is grown and consumers will choose food grown sustainably.” – Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq