As part of her effort to raise the next generation of agrarian leaders in Africa, create decent jobs for youth and secure the food future of the continent, JR Farms Limited has launched a $30,000 fund to invest in youth led agribusinesses in Nigeria and Rwanda on the pilot phase.

One of the main challenges for youth productive involvement in agriculture in Africa is the limited access to finance and business mentorship. Often young people do not meet the requirements to secure loans and equity. With the foregoing, the need to create a platform for young Africans to engage in agriculture is key to transforming agriculture in Africa and raising the next generation of agrarian leaders in Africa. 

This explains why JR Farms LLC has put together an initiative tagged “Green Agribusiness Fund”, designed to invest in agribusiness initiatives/companies that are deemed socially responsible in their business dealings in various parts of Africa. These businesses must be owned by young Africans who are living in Africa. The focus is to raise the next generation of agric entrepreneurs that will lead great initiatives in agriculture and position agriculture in Africa on the path of decent jobs creation, food security and improved living standard

This initiative will promote agribusinesses focusing on priority aspects of agriculture such as post harvest loss, climate smart farming, urban farming, seed and soil improvement, precision farming, agtech, access to market and agro commodity trading. 

Funding type

Equity

Guiding Themes

• Sustainability: Youth-led agribusinesses that will be accommodated on this initiative must deliver value to all stakeholders without degrading economic, social and natural capital. 
• Rural Economy: This initiative will promote youth-led agribusiness innovations that address poverty, labor crisis, rural urban migration and improved living standard in rural economies across Africa. 
• Youth Entrepreneurship: This initiative will focus on youth and opportunities for entrepreneurship; business ethics, aligning with macroeconomics policies for business gains, funding and trainings to foster youth-led agribusiness across Africa. 
• Gender Balance: This initiative will give priority to businesses founded and led by young women. It will also give priority to businesses that show clear plans to employ young women particularly within rural economy.
• Technology: This initiative will prioritise youth led agribusinesses that incorporate technology in their business projects.

Project Support: 

Funding: The project will provide equity funding of $5000 to each beneficiary (this financing will fund peculiar business needs such as machines, packaging materials and raw materials as it may apply to each beneficiary)

Financial mentorship for more financing: Training of beneficiaries in book-keeping, financial management, business valuation, scaling and other topical issues in the areas of finance in order to position beneficiaries for more financing such as loans, grants, etc.

Advocacy and exposure: The project will give thematic exposure to beneficiaries and their businesses through conferences, workshops and other relevant platforms. 

Capacity building: The project will offer capacity building to the beneficiaries in order to improve their business performance and sharpen them to be innovative while striving to stay relevant in a rapidly changing business world.

Access to market network: Through the network of partners, the project will offer access to market network to beneficiaries. This is to ensure sustainability of their businesses.

Pilot Nations: Nigeria and Rwanda

Number of Beneficiaries to be selected: 3 in Nigeria and 3 in Rwanda.

Partners: FAO and Generation Africa

Application Opens: 13^th July, 2020

Application Closes: 27^th July, 2020

Website: www.gafafrica.com