Gender
in Agribusiness Investments for Africa (GAIA) invites applications from institutions and business enterprises with ideas and
innovations that could transform agriculture and agribusiness in West or North
Africa and will benefit wider groups including marginalized women small holder
farmers and other women value chain actors. GAIA is looking for institutions
and business enterprises with innovations spanning the research to commercialization
continuum, and those addressing business model re-invention.
GAIA
has been launched by African
Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) to increase
agribusiness investments in technological and business model innovations that
help bridge the gender gap in African agriculture and particularly those that
enhance the positive participation of African women in agricultural value
chains across the continent.
“Women face
gender-specific constraints that reduce their productivity and contributions to
agricultural research, development, and production. This has negative
consequences for their economic empowerment, and the well being of our families,
communities, and countries” – Geraldine
Fraser-Moleketi, Fmr Vice President and Special Envoy on Gender, African Development
Bank.
The efficiency of African agriculture is hampered by a persistent
gender gap. Gender in Agribusiness Investments for Africa (GAIA) ensures
visibility, commercialization, and scaling up of agricultural research
innovations (AgTech) with the potential to bridge the gender gap in African
agriculture by focusing on agribusinesses that demonstrate clear benefits to
groups that are often marginalized in agriculture including women smallholder
farmers and other women value chain actors.
Eligibility
- Serve the agricultural or allied sectors;
- Demonstrate clear benefits to groups that are often marginalized in agriculture including women smallholder farmers and other women value chain actors
- Have an innovative technology or business model;
- Have a clear for-profit business model with high potential for scale;
- Have some proof of concept on the ground, conducted pilots, and are preferably generating revenues;
- Are seeking funding to commercialize or scale.
The top 25 companies will participate in an in-depth boot camp,
and then be showcased to investors, incubators, and other support organizations
in Accra, Ghana from March 29-31, 2017. The goal of this challenge is to
increase agribusiness investments in technological and business model
innovations that have the potential to help close the gender gap in African
agriculture.
Interested
applicant should apply HERE
Inquiry, please contact: Arielle.molino@intellecap.com or
AWARDQueries@cgiar.org;