We're farming the unfarmable

Aftrak is a social venture launched in 2024. It grew out of research led by Dr Jonathan Wilson at the Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering.

The multi-award-winning spinout addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals around hunger, sustainable energy, poverty alleviation and economic growth.

Loughborough researchers work closely with a range of partners in Malawi, South Africa and the UK as well as smallholder farmers and local agricultural groups. Their expertise, coupled with field trials in Malawi and continuous user feedback, has helped refine Aftrak’s product design.

The system comprises the Aftrak AFT-e1, a walk-behind micro electric tractor, and scalable solar modules. It takes just one module to charge the tractor. Additional modules can be used to power homes, farms and small enterprises.

Easy to assemble, maintain and use, the solar units and tractor are designed with accessibility in mind, making farming much less physically demanding. Helping everyone to farm the unfarmable.

Most importantly, it is affordable for smallholder farmers, making modern mechanisation and clean energy available to those who need them most.

Toby also credits the University’s support for innovation – via its business incubator and spinout programme – as key factors in Aftrak’s growth and success.

He says that the incubator, LUinc., is a supportive start-up community of academic spinouts and graduate entrepreneurs, noting that its members’ diverse expertise and experience is invaluable.

He says, “We’ve learned so much from fellow LUinc. tenants. Without their insight and advice, securing our CE Mark and route to market would have been a major headache.”