Generation Africa Fellowship Program
The 2024 Generation Africa Fellowship Program
The program culminated with their graduation at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda. The exposure at the AFSF provided an opportunity for networking, learning from a diverse range of perspectives and investor linkage
The Generation Africa Fellowship Program (GAFP) is empowering young people with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in agribusiness and position them as catalysts for change and innovation.
ABOUT THE
Generation Africa Fellowship Program
Through the Generation Africa Fellowship Program, we provide tailored coaching and mentoring to support the emerging generation of youth agripreneurs. The program’s primary objective is to nurture personal growth through leadership development, coaching, funding opportunities, and access to networks. This, in turn, enables them to further advance their ventures and contribute to sustainable development of agriculture in Africa.
Through the Generation Africa Fellowship Program, we provide tailored coaching and mentoring to support the emerging generation of youth agripreneurs. The program’s primary objective is to nurture personal growth through leadership development, coaching, funding opportunities, and access to networks. This, in turn, enables them to further advance their ventures and contribute to sustainable development of agriculture in Africa.
The GAFP
2024 Fellows
Our 2024 fellows received a tailored practical program which entailed bespoke one-on-one coaching and mentoring. The individualized coaching to each of the ventures in the program aimed at supporting the fellows to develop their solutions further and be better positioned to scale their impact on Africa’s food system. The coaching support provided to the fellows was transformative, addressing critical gaps in business strategy, market entry, operational efficiency, and leadership development. By focusing on tailored solutions, fellows were equipped with the tools and insights needed to optimize their operations, refine their growth strategies, and scale effectively.
Key components included:
- Diagnostics: A thorough assessment of their business and personal gaps to identify the unique challenges faced by each fellow.
- Tailored Coaching: Customized support packages addressing specific needs such as business model refinement, leadership development, market exploration, and investment readiness.
- Masterclasses and Webinars: Sessions focused on leadership, investment strategies, and regional market exploration.
- Peer-to-Peer Learning: Collaborative sessions that fostered community building, knowledge exchange, and mutual support.
- Industry Site Visits: Hands-on exposure to best practices in agriculture through visits to leading organizations like Bayer East Africa. The visit to Bayer East Africa provided fellows with firsthand exposure to industry best practices in the agriculture value chain. They observed innovative farming techniques, sustainable practices, and efficient supply chain management, which inspired many to adopt similar approaches in their ventures.
Interacting with Bayer’s operations team gave fellows a deeper understanding of how large-scale players support smallholder farmers through capacity-building initiatives and localized market strategies. This exposure reinforced the importance of engaging rural markets while respecting local cultures, a lesson that many fellows plan to incorporate into their own ventures.
“We learned a lot from the visit especially about how to create demand for our products in rural areas through targeted and personalized marketing activities that include locals and appreciate local culture” – Watson Matsa of eSusFarm Africa
The program culminated with their graduation at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda. The exposure at the AFSF provided an opportunity for networking, learning from a diverse range of perspectives and investor linkage.
The GAFP
2024 Fellows
Our 2024 fellows received a tailored practical program which entailed bespoke one-on-one coaching and mentoring. The individualized coaching to each of the ventures in the program aimed at supporting the fellows to develop their solutions further and be better positioned to scale their impact on Africa’s food system. The coaching support provided to the fellows was transformative, addressing critical gaps in business strategy, market entry, operational efficiency, and leadership development. By focusing on tailored solutions, fellows were equipped with the tools and insights needed to optimize their operations, refine their growth strategies, and scale effectively.
Key components included:
- Diagnostics: A thorough assessment of their business and personal gaps to identify the unique challenges faced by each fellow.
- Tailored Coaching: Customized support packages addressing specific needs such as business model refinement, leadership development, market exploration, and investment readiness.
- Masterclasses and Webinars: Sessions focused on leadership, investment strategies, and regional market exploration.
- Peer-to-Peer Learning: Collaborative sessions that fostered community building, knowledge exchange, and mutual support.
- Industry Site Visits: Hands-on exposure to best practices in agriculture through visits to leading organizations like Bayer East Africa. The visit to Bayer East Africa provided fellows with firsthand exposure to industry best practices in the agriculture value chain. They observed innovative farming techniques, sustainable practices, and efficient supply chain management, which inspired many to adopt similar approaches in their ventures.Interacting with Bayer’s operations team gave fellows a deeper understanding of how large-scale players support smallholder farmers through capacity-building initiatives and localized market strategies. This exposure reinforced the importance of engaging rural markets while respecting local cultures, a lesson that many fellows plan to incorporate into their own ventures.
“We learned a lot from the visit especially about how to create demand for our products in rural areas through targeted and personalized marketing activities that include locals and appreciate local culture” – Watson Matsa of eSusFarm Africa
The program culminated with their graduation at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda. The exposure at the AFSF provided an opportunity for networking, learning from a diverse range of perspectives and investor linkage.
Africa’s food systems face multifaceted challenges, such as limited access to modern agricultural practices, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of inclusive policies. However, within these challenges lie tremendous opportunities that can be achieved through investments in education, vocational training, and tailored entrepreneurship programs for the agricultural sector.
The survey on Youth engagement in Policy and Access to Productive Resources conducted by Generation Africa earlier this year, revealed that nearly 75 percent of aspiring African youth are deterred by inadequate financing options and the difficulty of accessing agricultural land despite the abundance in natural resources. Additionally, the survey highlighted “insufficient training or skills” as a prominent resource constraint among the youth in Africa. 
Empowering young people with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in agribusiness, positions them as catalysts for change and innovation. We must enhance the provision of comprehensive, accessible education as well as training programmes that align with the needs of local labour markets.
Through the Generation Africa Fellowship program, we provide tailored coaching and mentoring to support the emerging generation of youth agripreneurs. The program’s primary objective is to nurture personal growth through leadership development, coaching, funding opportunities, and access to networks. This, in turn, enables them to further advance their ventures and contribute to sustainable development of agriculture in Africa.
By connecting young agripreneurs with resources and support, Generation Africa, is empowering the next generation of agricultural leaders.
The GAFP
2023 Fellows
Our 2023 fellows received a tailored practical program which entailed bespoke one-on-one coaching and mentoring, personality profiles (MBTI) that built on their leadership and personal development skills, peer-to-peer sessions, webinars with industry experts, culminating with their participation in the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2023 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The exposure at the AFSF provided an opportunity for networking, learning from a diverse range of perspectives and investor linkage.
Testimonials
Testimonials
