Are you an agribusiness with a climate-smart innovation that combats food insecurity and increases resilience in the East and Southern Africa region? Apply to the CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator 2024 to receive personalized support and access to funding to scale your innovations.

The CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator (CFSA) program is a science-driven accelerator designed to support agribusinesses in scaling climate-smart innovations that address pressing challenges in East and Southern African food systems. By combining investment readiness with tailored science-based technical assistance, CFSA provides agribusinesses with the tools and knowledge needed to become more commercially viable, environmentally conscious, and sustainable.

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For the 2024 cohort, CFSA will partner with the Agroecology Initiative to support agribusiness in adopting sustainable and ecological agricultural practices. This collaboration aims to integrate agroecological principles, which involve the science, practices, and innovations applied to transitioning food systems towards more sustainable and equitable production and consumption. Agroecology emphasizes improving resource efficiency, strengthening resilience, and ensuring equity and social responsibility. For example, business models that encourage the equal participation of women and men in decision-making and leadership, recycling organic matter to improve sustainable production, etc.

Target sectors/SDGs

• SDG 1 – Eliminate poverty through the promotion of economic activities.
• SDG 2 Zero Hunger attributed to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture.
• SDG 3 – Good health attributed to mixed corn farming (aquaculture, livestock, legumes and other crops).
• SDG 5 – Gender equality through support for women entrepreneurs and farmers in the supply chain.
• SDG 8 and 10 – Decent work and economic growth, including for youth.
• SDG 13 – Climate Action through promotion of climate-smart agriculture and sustainable farming.
• SDG 17 – Ecosystem partnerships to develop the goals.

Eligibility

• The business should be officially registered and compliant with regulatory authorities. Provide the following:
  • A Certificate of Incorporation for a Limited Company or Partnership Deed for a Partnership Business.
  • 2 years audited accounts for growth stage companies OR 2-year management accounts for early-stage companies.
  • At least 2 contact details of the company's references.
  • Team composition.
  • Curriculum Vitae for the management team.
  • Tax Compliance certificate OR official documentation for tax exemption.
• A clear inclusive strategy for smallholder farmers, women, and youth within the business model in at least one of the following dimensions: ownership, management team, workforce and policies, supply chain and customers.
• Applicants must be a for-profit company and demonstrate commercial viability and either be profitable or on the path to profitability. NGOs, corporate companies, and consultants will not be considered.
• Operating in the following countries: Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, or Zimbabwe.

Benefits

• CSA Technical Assistance: through this program each agribusiness will collaborate with CGIAR scientists and experts to receive coordinated and specialized evidence-based technical support that encourages adoption and strengthens their CSA practices, addresses concrete ecosystem challenges, and improves their bankability. Agribusinesses may also have access to research and data.
• Impact Measurement and Management (IMM): Agribusiness teams will receive training on how to effectively measure and manage the impact of climate-smart agriculture and agroecology, use their data to improve business performance, identify areas where value can be created, and achieve desired outcomes while contributing to positive environmental and social impact. This training will be delivered by the CGIAR network of scientists and experts.
• Readiness For investment: Each agribusiness will collaborate with a CGIAR partner and its network to receive investment readiness and business development support to help secure private sector financing.
• Risk avoidance allowanceFollowing the successful completion of the accelerator program and Pitch Day, the winning pitches will receive risk reduction grants of US$20,000, US$18,000, and US$12,000, respectively, based on their scaling plans.
• Access to the investor network to attract subsequent financing in the form of grants, debt and equity capital in accordance with financing needs.

Application process

• Application period dates: November 27, 2023 to January 8, 2024.
• Selection period: January 15 to February 16, 2023.
• Kick-off event: March 25-27, 2024.
• Technical support: April 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.
• Pitch Day and announcement of fellows: October 2024.

Deadline: 8th January 2024

Click HERE to sign up