Judging from the impressive line-up of agrifood businesses that are through to next round of the $100,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition 2020, the future of African agribusiness is filled with hope and opportunity. Diverse and exciting ventures among the Top 24 semi-finalists include drone pioneers, urban farmers, app designers, and agribusinesses that are redefining our relationship with indigenous crops and our insect neighbors.
The evaluators and judges are homing in on two innovative ventures, one led by a man and one led by a woman who founded or co-founded businesses in the agrifood sector in Africa. The winners will each be awarded a grand prize of $50,000 along with an industry-leading support network to take their businesses to the next level.
To get to the finals, a grueling round of online interviews with the judging panel awaits the Top 24 this week. Each semi-finalist must submit a 2-minute video pitch that will be viewed by the interviewing panel before the interview. The compliance team, judges and evaluators will then identify the 12 best ventures to be announced on 5 August 2020.
The 12 finalists will be invited to compete in a virtual (online) pitching contest at the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit between 8-11 September 2020. The two GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize winners will receive their US$50,000 awards alongside the prestigious Africa Food Prize. All 12 finalists will be awarded mentorship, programming linkages and other guidance to continue their entrepreneurial journey.
In recognition of the high-quality of the entries this year, and to strengthen support of these agripreneurs, Generation Africa is also awarding four Impact Awards to GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize finalists who are striving to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and benefit their community. The Impact Awards will be announced in August, and each winner will receive US$2,500 to boost their business.
The female semi-finalists are:
Lilian Uwintwali: MAHWI TECH created Mlima, an ICT solution providing smallholder farmers in Rwanda with services, market info and financial opportunities via USSD and an online platform.
Elizabeth Gikebe: Kenyan Mhogo Foods is a socially conscious cassava processor making gluten-free flour, crisps, starch and animal feeds while also training and supporting farmers.
Kudzai Makaza: Artisanal Foods in Zimbabwe processes locally sourced bananas and baobab into a variety of nutritional products like gluten-free green banana flour and banana chips.
Sheila Suluve: Ukulima Tech is a social enterprise that builds urban smart farms to bring nutritious, clean, and sustainable fresh food production closer to Kenya’s city-dwellers.
Aisha Raheem: Farmz2U is a Nigerian SaaS farming management platform that empowers farmers with data analytics for key decisions and provides access to services along the entire value chain.
Daniella Kwayu: Phema Agri is a Tanzanian digital agriculture investment platform that provides smallholder farmers with blended finance and de-risks the value chain.
Agnes Kanjala: The Farm is a social enterprise that trains farmers to boost their productivity by using produce by-products to raise livestock and links them new markets in Malawi.
Brigitha Faustin: OBRI Tanzania produces local sunflower oil, and to get quality seeds they train smallholder famers in sustainable land use, and organic and environmental standards.
Ifeoluwa Olatayo: Soupah Farm-en-Market Limited uses USSD, apps, and blockchain to build an efficient, traceable supply chain connecting smallholders to vendors in Nigeria.
Millicent Agidipo: Achiever Foods Limited in Ghana is on a mission to save lives with organic foods that promote blood health and a strong immune system.
Brendah Kembabazi: Efarmu is a Ugandan software solution for dairy farmers to track operations across animal registry, milk management, breeding, feeding, health and farm finances.
Chichi Eriobu: Phronesis Foods processes and sells indigenous Nigerian Ukwa (African Breadfruit) into a variety of healthy, organic food products for the local and international market.
The male semi-finalists are:
Barhoum Kharbouch: Moroccan Lombrisol builds a vermicompost machine that automates organic fertiliser production from food waste using earthworms.
Amen Temesgen: BeNu Foods produces a nutritious biscuit from local Ethiopian produce and fights malnutrition by giving one free biscuit to a child in need for every biscuit sold.
Paul Matovu: Vertical and Micro Gardening (VMG) in Uganda builds autonomous farm towers to make urban farming a viable micro-enterprise for low-income households.
Senade Arnaud Bonou: Adjiyon in Benin produces 100% organic, low-cost fertiliser that can empower small holder farmers with better yields and break the cycle of poverty.
Steve Ndende: AgriZoom is a Congolese crowdfunding and e-commerce platform that connects farmers, fishermen and food processors to financing and markets.
Abiye Tadeos: Ethiopian agritech startup Anabi is putting IoT in beehives to optimise honey production and track the health of your swarm.
Moses Katala: Magofarm in Rwanda is an insect technology startup that turns food waste into insect protein for animal feed, which they deliver straight to farmers based on an individual needs analysis.
Guyrence Gbaguidi: DRONE ERA is based in Benin and protects farmers from poisoning themselves by deploying drones for precision crop spraying.
Dexter Tangocci: South African Integrated Aerial Systems uses drones for precision crop spraying and multispectral surveys to give farmers actionable data about underperforming crops.
Mushusha Richard: Based in Uganda, FootMo Kit designs a low-cost, hand-held device that diagnoses Foot and Mouth Disease in livestock.
Fadja Djiou Barry: GoMarkit SL in Sierra Leone is food supply and delivery business letting vendors, retailers and consumers purchase produce from small holders via their app.
Pitch videos submitted by each of the semi-finalists will be released on the GoGettaz and Generation Africa social media pages until the finals in September 2020. You can follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube to learn more about these businesses.
The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition 2020 launched amidst the coronavirus pandemic to give hope and support to the agripreneurs on the African continent.
Generation Africa’s support for the young agripreneurs extends beyond the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition. Hundreds of GoGettaz are currently enrolled in the Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness course by the Agripreneurship Alliance and the African Management Institute.
Women and men who want to embrace the opportunities in the agrifood sector and join the GoGettaz community can sign up at http://gogettaz.africa. Every member of the GoGettaz community has access to free startup training, mentors, and investors on the online platform.
In 2019 pan-African telecommunication, technology and renewable energy group Econet together with global crop nutrition leader Yara, co-catalyzed Generation Africa. The success of the 2019 campaign attracted industry leaders in the global and African agriculture sectors. In 2020 the Generation Africa initiative adds four inspirational co-founders to their ranks. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) strives to grow agriculture on the continent to feed Africa and the world. Corteva Agriscience harnesses cutting edge science to build flourishing farms. The Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) represents the common interest of regional farmers. The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture links small-holder farmers to agri-services, insurance and quality seeds.
Generation Africa Co-Founders:
Econet: https://www.econetafrica.com/
Yara International: https://www.yara.com/
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa: https://agra.org/
Corteva Agriscience: https://www.corteva.com/
Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions: http://www.sacau.org/
Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture: https://www.syngentafoundation.org/