AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator Program 2027 for African-owned/led growth-stage companies.

Application Deadline: November 18, 2026

Applications are actually open for the 2027 AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator Program. The Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator (HGSA-A) is a COMESA regional initiative funded by the Government of New Zealand by means of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and applied by AUDA-NEPAD that helps growth-stage agribusinesses delivering scalable, progressive, and impact-driven options throughout Africa’s agricultural worth chain.

Eligibility Requirements

• Legally Registered and Operational
  Be legally registered and operational in a COMESA member state.
• African-Owned or Led Growth-Stage Company
  Be African-owned or led growth-stage firm.
• Women-Owned/Led & Youth-Led Preference
  Strong choice to women-owned or led enterprises (70%) and youth-owned or led (18-35) enterprises (30%).
• High-Potential Agribusiness Value-Chains
  Operate inside inclusive high-potential agribusiness value-chains resembling excessive worth crops (excluding major manufacturing). This consists of sectors such enter provide, agro-processing, worth addition, commercialisation, import substitution, aggregation, logistics, distribution, market entry companies, digital agriculture, and climate-smart inputs.
• Proven and Innovative Business Model
  Demonstrate a confirmed and progressive enterprise mannequin, with an annual turnover near USD 100,000 (this can range from one nation to the opposite).
• Regional or International Market Access Potential
  Demonstrate potential for accessing regional or worldwide markets and clear scalability prospects eg. by means of established or rising export linkages, partnerships throughout the COMESA area, confirmed demand past native markets, a replicable enterprise mannequin adaptable to totally different contexts, or a transparent technique for regional enlargement.
• Audited Financial Accounts and Compliance
  Have audited monetary accounts for a minimum of the final 3 years and primary compliance constructions.
• Inclusive Participation
  Prioritize inclusive participation, together with the employment or service of youth, ladies, folks with disabilities and refugees, in addition to contribute to meals safety and diet targets.
• HGSA-A Development Objectives
  Contribute to HGSA-A’s broader improvement goals of driving sustainable agribusiness development that promotes Africa’s stability and prosperity.
• Green Growth Promotion
  Actively pursue and promote Green development (in line with the OECD Green Growth Strategy), making use of local weather change mitigation or adaptation methods and sustainable agricultural practices eg. resources-efficient processes, renewable power merchandise, waste discount and recycling or sustainable packaging).

Eligible Businesses

The Accelerator helps firms working throughout the agricultural worth chain concerned in:

• Input provide
• Aggregation
• Processing
• Storage
• Logistics
• Distribution
• Market entry
• Digital agriculture
• Value addition

Program Benefits

Context-specific Advisory Services

Tailored advisory companies designed to handle the distinctive challenges and Opportunities in your market and business sector

Cross-border Regulatory & Trade Facilitation Under AfCFTA

Navigate African Continental Free Trade Area Opportunities with professional steerage on laws and cross-border commerce facilitation

Investment Readiness & Fundraising Support

Potential for accessing HGSA-A funding funding to assist enterprise development.

Matching to Strategic Partners

Connect with regional patrons, traders, mentors and different strategic companions to speed up your corporation development

Post-Acceleration Support

Continued assist and steerage even after finishing the acceleration program to make sure sustained development and success

Selected firms obtain:

• Context Specific Advisory assist
• Access to Regional and Global markets
• Investment Readiness and Capital linkage
• Technical Assistance and Mentorship from sector specialists
• Networking Opportunities with friends, patrons, and traders

Selection Process:

Stage 1

Technical Eligibility

Review of required documentation together with enterprise registration and monetary statements.

Stage 2

Thematic Innovation Alignment (Interviews)

Companies bear interviews to evaluate their alignment with HGSA-A priorities, enterprise mannequin scalability, and socio-economic affect.

Stage 3

Due Diligence

Companies are assessed for their credibility and readiness for acceleration, together with an intensive assessment of their enterprise mannequin, management, development potential, and affect — with emphasis on sustainability, inclusivity, and alignment with HGSA-A goals.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator Program