The Agribusiness Challenge Fund
The Agribusiness Challenge Fund
The Agribusiness Challenge Fund
The Agribusiness Challenge Fund is a rolling call for proposals open from 18 March 2024 to 22 November 2024,
The Agribusiness Challenge Fund is a rolling call for proffers open from 18 March 2024 to 22 November 2024, with three application harvest periods in between. The challenge is open to SME operations from any country as long as the projects meet the eligibility criteria and are being implemented in at least one of the 20 focus countries the Fund is targeting. Support from the Fund includes grants ranging from US$ 500,000 to US$, disbursed over a three- year period, grounded on the applicant’s development stage, scalability, and business model, in accordance with agreed periodic milestone targets. The funding structure will be determined on a case- by- case basis after evaluating proposals and associations. fresh support to successful applicants will include tailored specialized assistance in alignment with the Fund objectives over the three- year period.
PLY NOW CATEGORIES OF INTEREST IN THE AGRIBUSINESS CHALLENGE
- Primary production
- Processing and aggregation
- Trading and market linkages
CATEGORIES OF INTEREST WITHIN THE AGRICULTURE VALUE CHAIN
While broadly interested in any agribusiness opportunity that's able of work creation opportunities for youthful women and men, those working in these or other parts of the agriculture value chain are encouraged to apply
- Forestry
- Fishing
- Horticulture
- Plant Breeding
- Agro input supplies
- Cash crop – cocoa
- Cash crop – cotton
- Cash crop – coffee
- Cash crop – tea
- Fruits and vegetables
- Livestock – dairy
- Livestock – beef
- Livestock – goats
- Livestock – pig
- Poultry
- Solar powered husbandry tools
- Early warning systems
- Climate flexible crop varieties
- Food storage and preservation
- Farmer training on adaptation techniques
- Crop insurance services
- Smart irrigation systems
- Drip irrigation
- Soil moisture sensors
- Organic fertilizers
- Bioenergy production and fossil fuels
- Solar powered agrarian tools
- Capacity building
Applicants will be requested to also state and describe if they've integrated climate adaptation, climate mitigation or digital aspects to their projects.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- To be eligible to apply, an SME must
- Be involved in the sector of focus i.e. agriculture.
- Be an existing for- profit Small or Medium- sized Enterprise.
- Be implementing business in at least one of the 20 focus countries in Africa.
- Be requesting for grant funding ranging from US$ 500,000 to US$, disbursed over a three- year period, based on applicants’ development stage, scalability, and business model. fresh tailored specialized assistance will be provided to successful applicants.
- Be providing corresponding contribution of at least 30 of the total project cost.
- Have innovative, practical, and scalable businesses that aim to create work opportunities for youthful women and men, youthful people with disabilities or refugee youth.
- Adhere to abecedarian human rights, labour standards, and environmental management laws, both nationally and internationally, including seed laws policy.
- Refrain from any involvement in acts of terrorism or support for terrorist activities.
SELECTION CRITERIA
- Applications in the Agribusiness Challenge Fund will be selected based on the following criteria
- Project description and objective Alignment with Fund for Resilience and Prosperity priorities
- Project impact Financing plan/ Matching funds
Team structure
Additionality
IMPORTANT DATES
Below are important dates and deadlines for the Agribusiness Challenge Fund.
Agribusiness Challenge Fund periods Dates
Agribusiness Challenge Fund launch The rolling call for proposals launched on this date. 18/03/2024
Harvest 1
The first collection of submitted applications for assessment occurred on this date, approximately 12 weeks after the opening date of the challenge. 07/06/2024
Harvest 2
The alternate collection of submitted applications for assessment will occur on this date, approximately 12 weeks after the first harvest. 30/08/2024
Harvest 3
The third collection of submitted applications for assessment will occur on this date, approximately 12 weeks after the alternate harvest. 22/11/2024
Challenge closes after Harvest 3 22/11/2024
