Generation Africa, has announced, for the third year, the opening of its ground-breaking US$100,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition being organised to inspire agrifood entrepreneurs to use their energy, courage and creativity to solve the biggest problems facing Africa’s food systems.
Launched on 19 April 2021, this year’s competition aims to expand the GoGettaz community of agripreneurs, providing them with access to education, mentorship and investment networks as they launch, grow, or scale their agrifood ventures.
The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition is open to African citizens between 18 and 35 years old who are founders or co-founders of social or commercial agrifood businesses headquartered in Africa.
After a challenging selection process ending in a grand finale pitch competition in July 2021, two winners, one woman and one man, with scalable and impactful business or social ventures will each receive US$50,000 for their businesses.
A news report by African Press Organization (APO) Group indicated that the award ceremony would hold alongside the prestigious Africa Food Prize. Applications can be submitted through http://GoGettaz.africa.
Commenting on this year’s competition, Head of Generation Africa, Dickson Naftali said: “This is an incredibly important year for global food systems. COVID has exacerbated food insecurity, inequalities and poverty. The pandemic has challenged conventional logic around food production and food security as global supply lines came to a standstill.
“It is obvious that things must change. Generation Africa believes that food systems can change if we collaboratively support young African agrifood entrepreneurs, as well as small and medium agribusinesses across the continent”, Naftali added.
Through the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition, Generation Africa seeks to reward visionary young Africans who demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset and innovative problem-solving in developing and growing their agrifood businesses.
Beyond the two grand prizes, last year’s competition awarded four additional prizes of US$2,500 to enterprises that played an inspiring role in their communities. These Impact Awards were created to celebrate businesses with tangible social impact. Generation Africa hopes to discover more deserving recipients in the 2021 competition.
GoGettaz Lead, Amanda Namayi, pointed out that cash prizes are not the only motivation for entering the competition, recalling that “last year, a thousand members of the GoGettaz community received free access to the Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness courses organized by the Agripreneurship Alliance. And all who join the GoGettaz community get instant online access to high quality training material to help guide them through the business start-up process.”
The Generation Africa GoGettaz online platform is also a community building initiative to give a voice to the young agripreneurs of Africa. Through research surveys, conversations and high-level meetings, Generation Africa works to ensure opportunities and challenges are understood and taken seriously in agenda-setting forums across the continent and globally.
Since its launch in 2019, Generation Africa has brought onboard USAID as a co-founding partner. Additionally, influential new collaborators, Nourishing Africa and One Young World have joined the exciting Generation Africa ecosystem development movement to reach and inspire agrifood entrepreneurs on the African continent in innovative ways.
Speaking from the AGRA head office, Amanda recalled: “Even with the COVID crisis, last year more than 3,000 applicants from 29 African countries, registered to compete, with 12 exceptional businesses making it through to the Top 12. It was an impressive turn-out.
“This year we look forward to thousands more entrepreneurs hearing our message, joining GoGettaz, and caring to compete for the grand prizes. GoGettaz is a movement for change, and these are the changemakers!”
