The fifth annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition Finals, held at Africa Food System Forum Summit (AGRF 2023) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 14th September 2023 saw two exceptional agripreneurs emerge as winners of the top honors. During an engaging Youth Town Hall event presided over by H.E. President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, Generation Africa awarded two grand prizes of $50,000 each to Ms. Hasina Andriatsitohaina, Founder and CEO of Mad’Arom in Madagascar, and Mr. Ikenna Nzewi, co-Founder and CEO of Releaf Africa in Nigeria.
In her address, H.E. Dr. Suluhu emphasized the importance of involving youth in Africa’s Food Systems transformation. She stressed that the youth, constituting a significant portion of the African population, need to voice their concerns and aspirations. She viewed the Youth Townhall as a crucial platform for listening to their perspectives, which can enrich discussions aimed at improving agribusiness opportunities for young people.
Furthermore, four African youth received the GoGettaz Impact Award during the Youth Innovation Awards Celebration, with each Impact Award winner receiving a US$2,500 prize. In recognition of the remarkable contributions of all twelve GoGettaz young entrepreneurs who competed in the live pitch contest from across the continent, Generation Africa’s partner USAID donated an additional US$1,000 to each of the remaining six finalists. All GoGettaz winners were praised for their entrepreneurial vision, diligent preparation, well-crafted on-stage pitches, and innovative businesses in Africa’s agrifood sector.
Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), commended the GoGettaz awardees, highlighting that they are the embodiment of Africa’s solutions in the context of this year’s summit theme, “Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation.” She encouraged potential investors to take note of these businesses, as many of them have the potential to impact millions of lives across the continent in the next decade.
This year’s GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition campaign reached nearly 7 million people, with half a million visitors to the Generation Africa website and GoGettaz community platform. The competition received completed applications from 43 African countries, with 9 countries represented among the Top 12 finalists. Notably, there was an increase in female applicants this year, indicating a positive shift in an industry traditionally perceived as male-dominated, even though women play a significant role in African food production as smallholder farmers.
Strive Masiyiwa, Chair Emeritus of AGRA and Generation Africa founding member, expressed his admiration for the innovative spirit of all the young entrepreneurs participating in this year’s AGRF Summit. He saluted the entrepreneurs, acknowledging their pivotal role in designing innovative technology solutions to address food system and environmental challenges while creating new businesses and jobs.
Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International and a founding member of Generation Africa, emphasized the urgency of youth efforts in food systems transformation. He highlighted that young entrepreneurs are the torchbearers of sustainable solutions and that supporting their endeavors is crucial in reshaping the future of food.
Amath Pathe Sene, Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum, stressed the importance of amplifying youth-led businesses at the AGRF Summit. He highlighted that youth-led businesses, like the GoGettaz finalists, are essential contributors to shaping the future food system through their innovative ideas.
Dickson Naftali, Head of Generation Africa, called on the youth to follow the example set by the GoGettaz agripreneurs. He emphasized the importance of an African-owned and African-led food system and encouraged more young Africans to join the agrifood industry.
In addition to online coaching, the twelve finalists received two days of in-person pitch training at the Summit. Networking sessions and facilitated participation in the AGRF Agribusiness Deal Room provided the youth-led businesses with opportunities to connect with potential partners, investors, and collaborators.
With the conclusion of the Africa Food Systems Summit, the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition for the year has concluded as well. Applications for the 2024 competition will open in April/May next year. Generation Africa’s industry-leading partners and sponsors are proud of the innovation, dedication, and leadership displayed by all the young entrepreneurs who participated this year. The focus for the rest of 2023 will be on mentorship programs like the Generation Africa Fellowship Programme and reshaping national policies to better support youth and women in agriculture. Additionally, the new Generation Africa Online Academy was launched at the Summit in partnership with Microsoft, providing an exciting platform for learning and growth.