Deadline: 19th October 2023 | Agribusiness Challenge Fund Uganda 2023
The AVSI Foundation is implementing the four-year Skilling in Agripreneurship for enhanced Youth Employment (SAY) Project in four districts of Uganda with funding provided by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
FOR TIMELY UPDATES JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL AND TELEGRAM 1 , TELEGRAM 2 CHANNELS
The project aims to provide Ugandan youngsters gainful work in the agricultural sector and raise their level of agri-skills. This is meant to be accomplished by focusing on the following four goals:
By 2024, the employable agricultural skill levels of 18,800 Ugandan youth aged 18 to 30 in priority regions will have improved.
By the project’s conclusion in 2024, skilled young (aged 18 to 30) employed in well-paying agribusiness occupations and self-run agripreneurship in Uganda’s target project areas will have increased.
By the end of the project (2024), youth aged 13 to 18 in Uganda’s target project areas would enhance their involvement in agriculture as a long-term career path or significant economic enterprise.
By 2024, Uganda’s environment must be improved to support young employment in agriculture and market-responsive agricultural skills.
The SAY Project aims to provide increased agripreneurship knowledge and skills to 6,500 youth aged 13–18 years (5,500 in secondary schools and 1,000 in justice system rehabilitation centres) in order to increase their long-term engagement in agriculture. It also targets 18,800 youth aged 18–30 years (6,000 of whom are refugees and members of the host community) for immediate employment in the agriculture sector. 32 districts in Uganda’s northern, eastern, central, and western regions are participating in the project.
The Challenge Fund’s goals
- The Agribusiness Challenge Fund’s primary goal is to identify and provide support to competitively chosen, successful youth-owned agribusinesses. The Challenge Fund’s goals are as follows:
- Identifying and describing 40 successful youth-owned agricultural enterprises in the SAY Project’s operational districts (in Western, Eastern, Northern, and Central Uganda).
to determine the finest agripreneurs’ business needs for coaching and mentoring. - To provide the necessary funding, mentorship, and specialised business growth support to the chosen young farmers/agribusinesses so they may advance their operations.
Awards from Challenge Fund
Following are the money awards for the top ten finishers in each region:
- 1st place UGX 9,000,000
- 2nd place UGX 7,000,000
- 3rd place UGX 5,000,000
- 4th place UGX 3,740,000
- 5th place UGX 3,450,000
- 6th place UGX 3,160,000
- 7th place UGX 2,870,000
- 8th place UGX 2,580,000
- 9th place UGX 2,290,000
- 10th place UGX 2,000,000
eligibility requirements
The selection of candidates for pitching will be based on two levels of criteria. Individual or combined applications from young people (investment clubs or youth organisations) will be accepted.
- Individual applicant requirements for young farmers
- Business must conduct itself within Uganda’s legal frameworks.
- Should have had the necessary training through the AVSI Foundation’s SAY Project. Please be aware that your application will be subject to verification and that all SAY Project beneficiaries have been included to an online database.
- Age requirements for the project’s skilling enrollment were 18 to 30 years old. Youth must show a valid National ID or other form of identification as proof of age and nationality.
- Must be the legitimate owner or co-founder of the firm being promoted, and must devote all of their time to managing the day-to-day activities and providing leadership for the agribusiness enterprise.
- As of September 30, 2023, you must have been in the industry for (at least) the previous six months.
- The companies should be able to grow and have expected annual revenues of at least UGX 7 million.
- You must show that you have contributed financially and in-kind to the business’s development thus far and that you are willing to do so going forward.
- Must be prepared to refrain from engaging in partisan political activity throughout the engagement.
- Horticulture, banana, dairy, coffee, food processing, piggery, poultry, apiary, fish, mushroom, rabbits, and support services along the value chains like input services, extension services, waste management or recycling, marketing, food retail, ICT solutions for agribusiness, distribution or logistics, and climate smart agriculture.
- Display accurate financial information and/or a business model canvas.
- The company should have room to expand, and the owner should be open to working with young people.
- Must display environmentally friendly and climate-smart agricultural techniques.
- The following districts are required for the business to be situated:
- Mbarara, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda, Kabale, Bushenyi, Rubanda, Kazo, and Ntugamo are in the western region.
- Lira, Gulu, Agago, Lamwo, Otuke, Yumbe, Kitgum, Pader, and Kole are in the northern region.
- Kampala, Wakiso, Mityana, Mukono, Buikwe, and Luwero are in the central region.
- Kamuli, Iganga, Mbale, Kapchorwa, Soroti, Jinja, Tororo, and Busia are located in the eastern region.
Application requirements for agribusiness joint ventures
- Youth who were between the ages of 18 and 30 when they enrolled in the programme must own at least 75% of the venture. Owners must show a valid National ID or other form of identification as proof of their age and nationality.
- As of September 30, 2023, Venture must have been in operation for (at least) the previous six months.
- The companies should be able to grow and have expected annual revenues of at least UGX 7 million.
- Must be created and run as a for-profit company that generates income from its operations. The application process is not open to youth initiatives created as non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, or other types of organisations.
- registered, have a reserved or registered business name, or have proprietors that are willing to formally register the company. The company should either have a separate bank account or demonstrate a willingness to open one.
- Have a business strategy or business model canvas, a clear physical address, and maintain records.
- operating in the targeted value chains for horticulture, banana, dairy, coffee, food processing, piggery, poultry, apiaries, fish, mushrooms, and rabbits, as well as supporting services like input services, extension services, agroprocessing, postharvest handling, value-added waste management or recycling, marketing, food retail, ICT solutions for agribusiness, distribution or logistics, and climate smart agriculture.
- Businesses that exhibit scalability, innovation, and strong market potential will be given top consideration.
- Demonstrate your commitment to the environment and social inclusion by including other young people, particularly female adolescents.
- Located in one of the following districts:
- Mbarara, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda, Kabale, Bushenyi, Rubanda, Kazo, and Ntugamo are in the western region.
- Lira, Gulu, Agago, Lamwo, Otuke, Yumbe, Kitgum, Pader, and Kole are in the northern region.
- Kampala, Wakiso, Mityana, Mukono, Buikwe, and Luwero are in the central region.
- Kamuli, Iganga, Mbale, Kapchorwa, Soroti, Jinja, Tororo, and Busia are located in the eastern region.
For more information, visit Fondazione AVSI.
