This archive report was first published on 24 July 2019.
On June 24-28, 2019, the African Development Bank and the Western Cape Government in South Africa hosted the youth AgriPitch competition, which brought together innovative agribusinesses from across the continent.
Kenyan Alex Muli, CEO and Co-Founder of Goshen Farm, won $25,000 for best agribusiness in the mature start-up category. His company, Goshen Farm, was co-founded with his mother in 2011.
Paul Sheppard, from South Africa, Co-Founder of Future Farms, took the $10,000 prize for the early start-up category. The competition, themed 'Climate Smart Agriculture: Business and Employment Opportunities for Africa’s Youth,' aimed to support innovative agriculture growth and provide a platform for youth agripreneurs to brainstorm with experts and stakeholders.
Over 400 agribusiness proposals from across the continent participated in the competition, which culminated in an award gala dinner. The event was part of the African Youth Agripreneurs Forum (AYAF), an annual forum of the African Development Bank’s flagship, Enable Youth Program.
At the forum, Dr Edward Mabaya, Manager, Agribusiness Development Division at the African Development Bank, emphasized the importance of supporting youth employment and food insecurity. He stated that the Bank has committed over $350 million to Enable Youth investments in 12 countries on the continent.
The 2019 AgriPitch Competition was sponsored by the Bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund, the Western Cape Government’s Department of Agriculture, The Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund, and The Africa Climate Change Fund.
