KIGALI - A Rwandan entrepreneur is pioneering the use of innovative farming technology that, he believes, is set to play a major role in feeding the growing population in his country, amid increasing pressure on arable land.

No soil, barely any water, a controlled environment: for Apollinaire Karegeya, the advantages of aeroponics are clear. This is a sustainable technique for growing vegetables, in which the roots are suspended in the air, and sprayed with a water and nutrient solution.

Born into a family of potato farmers, Mr. Karegeya is a champion for this sustainable form of agriculture which, he says, prevents disease and increases productivity.

His business, supported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has been highly successful, leading many other Rwandan farmers to follow his lead, and attracting more young people with this exciting vision of a new, profitable way to cultivate crops.