AUDA-NEPAD Agribusiness Business Grant in Africa

Scholarship Details

Introduction

Applications are open for the Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator (HGSA-A), a Pan-African initiative funded by the Government of New Zealand through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in partnership with E4Impact Africa Foundation.

The programme supports growth-stage, African-owned and African-led agribusinesses developing scalable, innovative and impact-driven solutions across Africa’s agricultural value chain.

It aims to strengthen agribusinesses addressing food insecurity, climate challenges and trade barriers while helping them improve investment readiness, fundraising capacity and regional market access under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

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Applications close on 1 December 2026.

About the Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator

The HGSA-A promotes inclusive and sustainable agribusiness growth by supporting established African enterprises with the potential to expand their operations and impact.

The programme provides tailored support to businesses seeking to strengthen their operations, access investment opportunities and expand into regional and international markets.

It focuses on African-owned and African-led enterprises operating in designated target countries and priority agricultural value chains.

Programme Benefits

Selected businesses will have access to the following support:

• Context-specific advisory services: Tailored guidance from sector experts who understand the unique challenges and opportunities in African agriculture and the businesses’ respective markets.
• Market access: Connections to regional and global markets to help businesses expand their operations.
• Investment readiness and fundraising support: Assistance in preparing businesses for capital investment and growth funding opportunities.
• Potential investment funding: Opportunities for accessing HGSA-A investment funding to support business growth. Access to funding is not guaranteed, and no fixed amount is specified.
• AfCFTA trade facilitation: Expert guidance on regulations and cross-border trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
• Strategic partnerships: Connections with regional buyers, investors, mentors and other strategic partners.
• Post-acceleration support: Continued guidance and support after completing the acceleration programme to promote sustainable business growth.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify, an applicant’s business must meet the following requirements:

1. Legal registration and operations: The enterprise must be legally registered and operational in one of HGSA-A’s designated target countries.
2. African ownership or leadership: The business must be an African-owned or African-led growth-stage company.
3. Women and youth participation: Strong preference is given to women-owned or women-led enterprises, representing a 70% preference target, and youth-owned or youth-led enterprises aged 18–35, representing a 30% preference target.
4. Relevant agribusiness value chain: The enterprise must operate within inclusive, high-potential agribusiness value chains, including high-value crops, excluding primary production. Eligible areas include:
   • Agricultural input supply.
   • Agro-processing.
   • Value addition.
   • Commercialisation.
   • Import substitution.
   • Aggregation.
   • Logistics.
   • Distribution.
   • Market access services.
   • Digital agriculture.
   • Climate-smart inputs.
5. Proven and innovative business model: The enterprise must demonstrate an established and innovative business model, with annual turnover close to US$100,000.
6. Regional or international market potential: Businesses must demonstrate the potential to access regional or international markets and clear opportunities for scaling. This may include established or emerging export linkages, partnerships across target countries, proven demand beyond local markets, a replicable business model or a clear regional expansion strategy.
7. Audited financial accounts and compliance: Applicants must have audited financial accounts and basic compliance structures.
8. Inclusive participation: Businesses should prioritise the employment or provision of services to young people, women and people with disabilities. They should also contribute to food security and nutrition goals.
9. Contribution to programme objectives: Enterprises must contribute to HGSA-A’s broader development objectives of promoting sustainable agribusiness growth that supports Africa’s stability and prosperity.
10. Green growth: Businesses must actively promote green growth in line with the OECD Green Growth Strategy. This includes applying climate-change mitigation or adaptation techniques and sustainable agricultural practices, such as resource-efficient processes, renewable energy products, waste reduction, recycling and sustainable packaging.

Important: Applicants must also confirm that their business operates within a priority value chain identified for their country on the programme’s official target-country map.

Required Documents

Applicants should prepare the following documents for upload:

• Company registration certificate.
• Official company registry document showing current directors and owners, such as a CR12 in Kenya or the equivalent document in other countries.
• Updated company pitch deck.
• Audited financial reports for the last two years.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through the official HGSA-A application portal.

Follow these steps:

1. Visit the official programme website.
2. Read the Applicant Guidelines carefully.
3. Confirm that your enterprise meets all the eligibility requirements.
4. Check the official target-country map to confirm that your business operates within a priority value chain identified for your country.
5. Complete the online application form.
6. Prepare and upload all the required supporting documents.
7. Review your application and submit it through the official portal before the deadline.

Optional Offline Application Form

Applicants can download the application form and prepare their responses offline, at their own pace or where internet connectivity is unreliable.

However, completing the offline form does not constitute an application submission. Applicants must transfer their answers to the official online application portal and submit them before the deadline. Only responses submitted through the portal will be reviewed.

Selection Process

The programme uses a three-stage selection process.

Stage 1: Technical Eligibility

The programme reviews the required documentation, including business registration documents and financial statements, to determine whether applicants meet the technical eligibility requirements.

Stage 2: Thematic Innovation Alignment and Interviews

Companies undergo interviews to assess their alignment with HGSA-A priorities, the scalability of their business models and their socio-economic impact.

Stage 3: Due Diligence

Businesses are assessed for their credibility and readiness for acceleration. This includes a thorough review of their business models, leadership, growth potential and impact, with particular emphasis on sustainability, inclusivity and alignment with HGSA-A objectives.

Application Deadline

The deadline for the Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator application is:

1 December 2026.

All applications must be submitted through the official online portal before the deadline.

Conclusion

The AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator offers growth-stage African agribusinesses an opportunity to strengthen their operations, improve investment readiness, access strategic partners and explore regional and international markets.

The programme is particularly relevant to innovative businesses working in agricultural processing, value addition, logistics, digital agriculture and other eligible agricultural value chains.

Interested enterprises should review the Applicant Guidelines, confirm their country’s priority value chains and submit their applications before 1 December 2026.