Agripreneurship Alliance

Growing the Agripreneurs of the Future

Welcome

Welcome
Welcome to the home page of the Agripreneurship Alliance.  This is the first stage of developing a website that will act as a portal to and a repository of information, tools and resources designed to support young adults become entrepreneurs in Agriculture and Agribusiness.

The Agripreneurship Alliance is a partnership drawn from around the world including Business, Universities and Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's) who all have a shared vision of thriving rural communities that are supported by successful youth-driven businesses within the local and global food system.

The Agripreneurship Alliance launched as an Swiss-based non-profit Association, based in Montreux, in August 2017.  We have an exciting future ahead of us as we work with our partners to develop web-based tools, resources and courses that can be used in training institutions and universities across sub-Saharan Africa.  

A core focus will be to work with partners to develop a cloud-based agripreneurship programme that will take the budding agripreneur through the business start-up process and develop a suite of business start-up guides to help inspire and guide young Agripreneurs.  In addition, we will build a network of experts who are willing to share their knowledge by responding to 'Ask the Expert' type requests from young Agripreneurs and also recruit a team of volunteers who can share their skills and experience to support young Agripreneurs develop their business ideas through short-term coaching and mentoring.  

In 2018 we are delighted to be working with SIANI and our partners at Egerton and Laikipia Universities (Kenya), Gulu University and IITA Kampala (Uganda) and ISTVS (Somaliland) to roll-out a pilot 'Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness' blended learning course to enable students to develop high quality business plans within the agrifood sector.

Why Agripreneurship?

The continent of Africa is at an exciting and challenging point in its economic development but continues to face such challenges as poverty, malnutrition, conflict, climate change and a growing youth population.  

However, there are significant local and global strategic initiatives that aim to address such issues, including the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union's Agenda 2063 Framework and the African Development Banks’ Feed Africa strategy.  

It is worth recognising that:
 In 2015, 226 million youth aged 15-24 lived in Africa, accounting for 19 per cent of the global youth population (UN, 20151)
 10 million youth enter Africa’s labour market annually.
 Youth is defined as people between the ages of 15 (exclusive) and 35 (inclusive).
 By 2020, three out of four Africans will be an average of 20 years old.
 Youth unemployment rate in sub-Saharan Africa is about 12%.
 Only 16% of youth have a ‘wage job’, while 62% work on family farms and 22% in household enterprises.
 At the US$2/day level, the working poverty rate was about 64 % in 2013 (YAP, 20162)
 The average age of farmers in Africa is about 55 years (WTO, 20153)
Why Agripreneurship?

Mission

Mission

To promote and stimulate youth driven entrepreneurship in agriculture and agribusiness within developing economies.

Aims

  • To encourage and support young adults to become the farmers of tomorrow through choice rather than necessity
  • To inspire young entrepreneurs to establish food-based businesses thus supporting the development of the wider rural community eco-system
  • To encourage new and novel approaches in locally based food systems that consider local opportunities and the challenges of climate change, conflict and malnutrition
  • To contribute to local and global food security

Objectives

  • Build a multi-sectoral partnership to support and engage in activities to fulfil mission
  • Design an online platform that will support in-person training programmes and individual young agripreneurs to acquire business skills specifically related to the early stages of business design and creation within agriculture and agribusiness
  • Develop an online course that can be embedded into in-person training programmes to enhance business skills acquisition specifically related to the early stages of business design and creation within agriculture and agribusiness
  • Establish a team of experienced volunteers who are available to mentor young agripreneurs
Mission

Governance

Governance
The Agripreneurship Alliance is a membership based non-profit 'Association' established in Montreux and as such is subject to Swiss legal frameworks.  

The membership has a key function in the transparent operation of the association and oversees strategy and finance through General Assembly.  In addition the membership elects an Executive Assembly which implements the decisions of the General Assembly.  It conducts the Association and takes all necessary measures to ensure that the stated purpose of the Association is attained.  The Executive Committee for 2019:

President:  Dr Anne Roulin
Treasurer:  Valerie Hanbali
Secretary:  Charlotte Roulin
Member:    Makeba Magambo
Member:    Bora Kizil

The Agripreneurship Alliance is supported by an independent Advisory Panel that provides challenge and support to the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Office.  The Advisory Panel for 2019 includes:

Angelique Pitteloud
Jeremy McTeague
Maurice Maloney
Vytaute Tatter

Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a member of the Agripreneurship Alliance.

Key People

Professor Ruth Oniang'o

Patron

Dr. Ruth Oniang’o, winner of the 2017 African Food Prize, has kindly accepted our invitation to become Patron of the Agripreneurship Alliance.

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Anne Roulin

President

Across my career, I have worked in academia, in the private sector (Tetra Pak and Nestlé) and as an entrepreneur in the UK, Switzerland, the USA, Italy and France.

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Steven Carr

C.E.O

I am focused on improving the life chances of young adults with particular experience on those living in conflict and/or poverty within a Community Development framework.

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Makeba Magambo

In-Country Representative (Kenya)

I have a passion for young people and am keen to help them identify their talents in improving their own livelihoods and contributing to family, community and national development.

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Stuart Kennedy

Training Officer

I believe that young adults are powerful innovators & change agents. I work to empower young adults to enable them to challenge old ideas and practices so that they may change not only their own futures but also that of their families and the wider community.

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Innocent Chamisa

Social Media Officer

A young international development expert, with a background in Agriculture Development and Law, whose work has been centered on promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development practices across the globe, encouraging active participation of youths and women.

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To be announced early 2019

Curriculum Resource Officer

To be announced early 2019

Fund Raising Officer

Articles

An Exploration of Agripreneurship, Scope, Actors and Prospects. Steven Carr & Anne Roulin, June 2016

This research was commissioned as a result of growing interest in the topic of youth-centred Agripreneurship and had the objective to identify the key actors particularly within Academia, Non-Government Organisations and the non-profit sector to help young unemployed, or underemployed, graduates in Africa, or other developing economies, to enter into entrepreneurship in agriculture or agribusiness. The average age of farmers is increasing globally and encouraging a new generation of farmers and agribusinesses is crucial for the future of food and nutrition security. This is particularly critical in many developing countries where there are significant levels of migration of young people from rural to urban areas. Even where they stay in rural areas young people often do not have interest in agriculture as it is practiced today. This approach is also highly relevant within a wider global strategic framework that includes the Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063, Lesser Developed Countries and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

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Global Alliance for Agripreneurship. Steven Carr, February 2017

This paper recommends the establishment of a Global Alliance for Agripreneurship, as an independent organisation. This will bring together the skills and expertise of global partners to initially focus on the development of a website and allied online course that can be embedded through a blended learning approach into the Young Agripreneur Programme, ENABLE Youth and other programmes such as those at Universities and be accessible to independent young agripreneurs. Such an online presence will provide encouragement, ideas and resources that will support the African agricultural renaissance and work to promote and stimulate youth-driven entrepreneurship in agriculture and agribusiness within developing economies.

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Resources from our Friends

Africa Management Initiative

The African Management Initiative (AMI) helps businesses across Africa build motivated, productive and effective workforces through our unique learning and transformation programmes, delivered via web, mobile and in-person workshops. We work with managers and entrepreneurs on building key business management skills, and have partnerships with numerous organisations on work-readiness programmes for young people entering the workforce

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Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation

Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation (CDI) is a part of the Wageningen University and Research Centre, based in the Netherlands. It is a world leading University in the topics of agriculture and forestry. CDI works on processes of innovation and change through facilitating innovation, brokering knowledge and supporting capacity development to build inclusive and sustainable food systems.

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Teach a Man to Fish

Teach A Man To Fish was founded in 2006 in London by Nik Kafka. Our mission is to change the world through transforming education in the developing countries. We work to empower young people in Africa, Latin America and Asia by providing them with a better quality and more relevant education so that they leave school prepared to succeed in work, in further education, and in life.

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École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is one of the worlds leading Universities and hosts the 'MOOCs for Africa' Centre providing cloud-based learning on a range of topics and issues.

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Links to other Resources

World Agroforestry Centre

World Agroforestry Centre

The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) is a centre of scientific excellence possessing the world’s largest repository of agroforestry science and information. Our vision is an equitable world where all people have viable livelihoods supported by healthy and productive landscapes. The Centre generates science-based knowledge about the diverse roles that trees play in agricultural landscapes, and uses its research to advance policies and practices, and their implementation that benefit the poor and the environment.

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Beekeeping Manuals for Developing Countries

Beekeeping Manuals for Developing Countries

In collaboration with Pam Gregory, the UK National Bee Unit has produced a series of beekeeping manuals specifically designed to help beekeepers in developing countries. The manuals are aimed to help enhance apicultural practices by maximising productivity and potentially increase the income African Bee keepers receive.

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CTA: An ICT Agripreneurship Guide - A Path to Success for Young ACP Entrepreneurs

CTA: An ICT Agripreneurship Guide - A Path to Success for Young ACP Entrepreneurs

This Handbook provides a step-by-step roadmap designed to equip aspiring ICT entrepreneurs with the information and knowledge they need to start an ICT-based business in the agricultural sector, outlining key opportunities and challenges that will be encountered along the way.

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FAO: Toolkit and E-learning modules on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems.

FAO: Toolkit and E-learning modules on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Food Systems.

This integrated package of guidance materials, developed by drawing upon expertise from across the Organisation and of many partners, aims at enhancing capacities for the formulation, implementation and monitoring of nutrition-sensitive food system policies and programmes, in line with the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, the SDGs and UN Decade of Action for Nutrition.

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Blog

14Jan

Announcing the Patron of the Agripreneurship Alliance

  • 14/01/2019 11:17

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14Jan

NOT JUST CLASSROOM ENTREPRENEURS: MEET THE WINNERS OF THE AGRIPRENEURSHIP ALLIANCE BUSINESS PLAN CONTEST

  • 14/01/2019 11:11

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08Jan

The Disrupters Podcast

  • 08/01/2019 11:25

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03Jan

The global food problem isn’t what you think

  • 03/01/2019 11:22

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17Dec

2018 Activity Review

  • 17/12/2018 10:59

End-of-year-review of the activities of the Agripreneurship Alliance in 2018

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13Dec

ACCELERATING AGRIPRENEURSHIP AMONG THE YOUTH USING A COMPETENCE- BASED LEARNING APPROACH

  • 13/12/2018 14:15

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10Dec

Launch of the Landscape Academy

  • 10/12/2018 12:31

The Landscape Academy has just been launched, it aims to be the world’s largest knowledge-led platform on sustainable land use, dedicated to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Agreement. It hosts a set of on/offline learning opportunities on landscape approaches. With new massive online open courses on Landscape Leadership, Landscape Governance, Landscape Finance and many more. https://academy.globallandscapesforum.org/

01Dec

An opportunity for African entrepreneurs....

  • 01/12/2018 12:32

An opportunity for African entrepreneurs.... On the 1st of January 2019, at 12am, WAT, the Tony Elumelu Foundation will begin accepting applications for the 5th cycle of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. If you are an African entrepreneur with a business idea or a startup with high growth potential, you are encouraged are encouraged to apply.

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28Nov

Prof. Kostas Karantininis

  • 28/11/2018 12:34

Our dear friend Prof. Kostas Karantininis sharing a few thoughts on the need to create an environment where African Agribusiness can scale-up and grow. https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=nklCpfe68qc

22Nov

Growing Tomatoes in Somaliland

  • 22/11/2018 14:03

IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary Training School (ISTVS) works in the mountains high above the coastal plain in Somaliland. Sheikh is a small town that is surrounded by agro-pastoralist communities, with most farming focusing on raising livestock, mainly camels and goats. After completing the 'Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness' course, four students realised that there is a significant opportunity for a small business to be launched, growing and selling fresh tomatoes that can supply the local market. Nusha Tomato Farm presented their completed business plan to the Agripreneurship Alliance and we are pleased to announce that they have been awarded US$1,000 to launch their new business and we look forward to supporting their business grow through 2019. #AfricanYouth #SIANI #Entrepreneurship #Agribusiness

22Nov

Visit to Laikipia University, Kenya

  • 22/11/2018 12:38

Delighted that our recent visit to Laikipia University has had such an impact. The reception that the Agripreneurship Alliance received was exceptional and the energy and enthusiasm of faculty and students is inspirational. https://www.laikipia.ac.ke/article/agripreneurship-programme-and-business-plan-competition

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22Nov

Opportunities with ENABLE Youth Uganda

  • 22/11/2018 12:17

Enable Youth Uganda supports motivated young entrepreneurs in Uganda to start innovative enterprises in the agricultural sector. The participating youth will be from and around irrigation schemes in the areas of Nebbi (Wadelai), Gulu (Tochi), Kasese (Mubuku II), Butaleja (Doho) and Kween (Ngenge). We will introduce the selected candidates to new technologies and innovative business models, and help them build up the local ecosystem that can support them best. At the end of the 6 months of intensive business acceleration program we will provide seed investment of maximum 8,000 USD to each of the 90 most promising Agripreneurs. Deadline: 30 November 2018 For more details & application forms see: http://enableyouth.ug/

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News

Capacity Building opportunities for Young Professional Farmers and Agricultural Professionals between EU & China

The EU and China have just announced a new initiative to support the future of agriculture with a programme designed to allow young farmers and agriculture professionals from EU and China to engage in study visits between the two regions. The EU Commissioner for Agriculture (Phil Hogan) stated “we need to stimulate a new generation of young agri-entrepreneurs to develop the agri-food sector of the 21st Century”.

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Application for Small Grants for Graduate Internship

Association of African Universities - Internship Opportunities for Graduates

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Tech4Dev Conference 2018

EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) has announced a call for proposals for papers, sessions and events at the 5th International Conference on Technologies for Development (Tech4Dev 2018) taking place from 7-29 June 2018 at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Contact

  • Montreux, Switzerland
  • PO Box 1028