Do you operate an agricultural company that has developed a climate-smart innovation to combat food insecurity and boost resilience in the East and Southern Africa region? Apply to the CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator Programme 2023 to get individualized help and funding to commercialize your inventions.
Food production in East and Southern Africa continues to be seriously threatened by climate change (ESA). Food and nutrition security is being further harmed by a lack of climate change resilience, fragmented agri-food value chains, a growing population, food shortages, and rising food costs.
In order to assist agribusinesses in scaling up their climate smart technologies, the CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator was created. In order to address urgent issues in the value chains and support the development of stronger and more sustainable food systems, these innovations are geared toward agri-food actors.
Programme Objectives:
The overall objective of the CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator Programme is to:
- Scale climate-smart food system innovations through strategic support of commercially
viable and inclusive climate-smart agribusinesses. - Develop a pipeline of inclusive climate-smart agribusinesses in East and Southern Africa.
- Support inclusive climate-smart agribusinesses through a 6-month programme that
provides investment readiness and business development, climate-smart agriculture (CSA)
and impact measurement and management (IMM) technical assistance, coaching and
mentoring. - Access to finance through de-risking grants to scale CSA innovations and business models
and matchmaking with private investors for follow-on capital.
Benefits:
- Provision of Climate-smart agriculture Technical Assistance: through this programme
each agribusiness will collaborate with CGIAR scientists and experts to receive coordinated
and specialised evidence-based TA support that encourages adoption and strengthens their CSA practices, addresses concrete ecosystem challenges, and improves their bankability.
Agribusinesses will also have access to research and data. - Provision of Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) Technical Assistance:
Agribusiness teams selected to this Programme will receive training on how to effectively
measure and manage impact, use their data to improve business performance, identify
areas where value can be created and achieve their desired result in contributing towards
positive environmental and social impact. This training will be provided by CGIAR network of
scientists and experts. - Provision of Investment Readiness Technical Assistance: Each agribusiness in this
programme will collaborate with IFDC-2SCALE and its network to receive investment
readiness and business development support to help secure financing from the private
sector. - De-risking Grant: Following the conclusion of the accelerator programme and Pitch Day,
four companies will receive USD $20,000 each according to their business scaling plans.
Access to investors and corporate partners to attract follow-on funding and potential
business opportunities.
Eligibility:
The business should be officially registered and compliant with regulatory authorities. Provide the following:
- A Certificate of Incorporation for a Limited Company or Partnership Deed for a
Partnership Business. - 2 years audited accounts.
- Contact details of company’s references.
- Team composition.
- Curriculum Vitae for management team.
- Tax Compliance Certificate.
- A clear inclusive strategy for smallholder farmers, women, and youth within the business
model in at least one of the following dimensions: ownership, management team, workforce
and policies, supply chain and customers. - Applicants must be a for-profit company and demonstrate commercial viability and either be
profitable or on the path to profitability. NGOs, corporate companies, and consultants will
not be considered. - Operating in the following countries: Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia.
Target Sectors:
- SDG 8 and 10: The CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator builds and sustains the foundations for
economic growth in the agriculture and food sectors - SDG 17: Partnerships supported by the Programme
- SDG 2 and 3: integrate a food and nutrition security agenda with direct outreach to
consumers - SDG 1 and 5: laying the foundations for viable local economies and equitable agrifood value
chains - SDG 5 and SDG 8: promote job creation, skilled and decent work, and inclusive (women and
youth) economic growth - SDG 13: The Programme provides SMEs with access to science-based research and
innovation which enhances their capacities to make smallholder farmers, local communities,
and partners resilient to the effects of climate change
