Agripreneurship Alliance

Growing the Agripreneurs of the Future

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.

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)

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

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.

Office holders include President, Treasurer and Secretary and individual members support the operational activities of the Association.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Agripreneurship Alliance please contact us using the contact form or send an email to info@theagripreneur.org

Steven Carr

C.E.O

Steven is 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.

Anne Roulin

President

Across her career, Dr Anne Roulin has worked in academia, in the private sector (Tetra Pak and Nestlé) and as an entrepreneur in the UK, Switzerland, the USA, Italy and France.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

19Nov

Winning at Egerton University

19/11/2018 12:51

Barani Aqua are planning on establishing their above ground Tilapia fish farm in Njiro early next year. They have been supported by the our ‘Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness’ course which enabled them to develop a high-quality business plan that has won them a USD1,000 business start-up award. Agripreneurship Alliance will continue to follow their business activities and support them through a mentorship programme.

19Nov

Winners in Laikipia University

19/11/2018 12:42

Please let us introduce you to ‘FreshFarm Mushroom’, this amazing group of students have completed the ‘Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness’ course and are the winners of a USD1,000 start-up prize. Next year they will launch their intensive Mushroom farm which will cater for the needs of local markets, providing high quality, fresh mushrooms to discerning customers. — at Laikipia University Main Campus Nyahururu.

12Nov

Agripreneurship Alliance & SIANI Members Meeting

12/11/2018 11:32

Delighted that our good friend and colleague Dr. Florence Opondo will be talking at the SIANI Members Event in Nairobi on 14 November. Dr. Opondo will be presenting the partnership between Laikipia University and the Agripreneurship Alliance and the impact of the ‘Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness’ course upon her students and faculty. Check out the link for more details: https://www.siani.se/event/siani-nairobi-meeting-2018/ #SIANI #AfricanYouth #Agribusiness #Entrepreneurship

09Nov

Sadly leaving Kenya...

09/11/2018 11:35

In honour of our many Kenyan friends and powerful poetry... asante sana na kwaheri #Laikipia #Egerton

07Nov

Celebrating at Laikipia University

07/11/2018 11:36

This is what winning looks like! All the amazing students of Agripreneurship at Laikipia University coming together to celebrate one of their teams winning the Agripreneurship Alliance business plan award at their university. #SIANI #AfricanYouth #Agripreneurship

06Nov

Arriving at Egerton University

06/11/2018 11:38

Agripreneurship Alliances penultimate visit focusing on our pilot “Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness” course was yesterday and it was great to meet staff and students at our partner Egerton University and I look forward to announcing the winner of our Business Plan competition. Today, we travel to meet our partners at Laikipia University. #SIANI #AfricanYouth #Entrepreneurship #Agribusiness

02Nov

A Camel Encounter....

02/11/2018 11:40

All good things come to an end, as did my visit to Sheikh and ISTVS. I met amazing people, was welcomed with warmth and had the chance to learn more about the fascinating country of Somaliland and the challenges it faces. I look forward to continuing to support the enthusiastic faculty and students of this great little institution and support the new agribusinesses that I know are going to grow in this community. And yes, there are camels... #ISTVS #AfricanYouth #Agripreneurs #SIANI — at IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School.

30Oct

IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary Training School

30/10/2018 11:41

First day in my visit to ISTVS in Somaliland, I am delighted and honored to meet the students who have been participating in the pilot ‘Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness’ course and I look forward to working with them over the next few days. #SIANI #AfricanYouth

25Oct

COP 24 Opportunity

25/10/2018 11:42

Are you under 35 years old and from the global south? 16 fully funded scholarships are available to attend Cop24. Check out the link if you would help inform and input into the negotiation process of the Paris Agreement Closing date is 27 October so act quickly if you’re interested. https://www.youth-climate-scholarships.org

25Oct

Technical Guidance from GFAR

25/10/2018 10:43

Inter-cropping two legumes – groundnut and pigeon pea – means two grain harvests plus two crop residues to improve soil fertility. https://blog.gfar.net/2018/10/09/double-grain-double-gain/?fbclid=IwAR11tZU9KFcjgJ4ouewaMLVs9XEIXfFCDeFDOfaFa8yG-n1E6P-5uLdPf9U

17Oct

45th session of the Committee on World Food Security

17/10/2018 11:45

Fantastic that our President is contributing to the 45th session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS 45). The event will hold discussions on policy convergence on food security and nutrition in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, convene a Global Thematic Event on the Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security, and celebrate World Food Day.

16Oct

Technical Advice from GFAR

16/10/2018 11:46

Inspiring story on the GFAR blog on how a Zambian farmer has shifted product from maize to orange fleshed sweet potato vines. https://blog.gfar.net/2018/10/12/zambian-farmer-finds-the-sweet-spot-during-dry-season/?fbclid=IwAR3_HUfnDitXJt0zaTfDca5Zd7hRs1yUs-KVWPlUfnt1x2bGxVmniRdPuBY

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”.

Application for Small Grants for Graduate Internship

Association of African Universities - Internship Opportunities for Graduates

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.

1820 Montreux, Switzerland
PO Box 1028

info@theagripreneur.org

Agripreneurship Alliance

Welcome

Why Agripreneurship?

Interviews & Video Resources

Mission

Mission

Aims

Objectives

Governance

Key People

Steven Carr

Anne Roulin

Articles

Resources from our Friends

Links to other Resources

Blog

News

Contact