NourishNext West Africa Youth Agrifood Innovation Challenge 2026 ($5,000 in seed funding) – YOA

Deadline: September 7, 2026

Applications are open for the NourishNext West Africa Youth Agrifood Innovation Challenge 2026. This is a regional innovation problem, led by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in partnership with the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and nationwide implementing companions throughout Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal. The initiative is applied with the help of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

NourishNext identifies, helps, and accelerates youth-led improvements that strengthen nutritious fruit and vegetable worth chains throughout West Africa. The Challenge seeks modern options that enhance how fruit and veggies are processed, preserved, packaged, transported, marketed, distributed, bought, ready, and consumed, contributing to extra resilient, inclusive, and vitamin-delicate meals techniques.

Competition Categories

• Value addition and processing improvements that improve fruit and vegetable worth chains
• Integration of Local Produce of fruit and veggies in Public Nutrition and Social Protection Systems
• Strengthened market and provide chain options for fruit and veggies, that enhance their provide, security, and desirability
• Consumer Demand and Healthy Diet Behaviour Change for elevated consumption of fruit and veggies

Benefits

• Selected innovators will obtain USD $5,000 in seed funding, tailor-made technical mentorship from trade consultants, capability-constructing alternatives, and entry to nationwide and regional networking and showcasing platforms.
• Finalists can have the OPPORTUNITY to current their improvements on the NourishNext West Africa Regional Showcase in Dakar, Senegal, in 2026, connecting with policymakers, buyers, improvement companions, and personal sector leaders.

Eligibility

• Open to youth-led enterprises and innovators aged 18 to 35 years, who’re primarily based in and primarily working inside Benin, Nigeria, Senegal, or Côte d’Ivoire. This age restrict is versatile for girls-led enterprises/ set-ups, for girls as much as the age of 40 years.
• Your innovation should instantly tackle a minimum of one of many 4 competitors classes talked about and function inside or in direct help of fruit and the vegetable worth chains.

Application

You want a accomplished on-line application kind (all sections), proof of age of the lead applicant (nationwide ID, passport, or delivery certificates), and proof of operational stage — photographs, buyer testimonials, monetary information, or a pilot report and many others.

Click here to apply

For extra info, go to NourishNext West Africa Youth Agrifood Innovation Challenge.