Start-ups across Africa engaged in agro businesses aimed at land preservations and restorations have been urged to make use of the opening for the 3rd annual Land Accelerator which comes up in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2-9, 2021. The application for the project which has opened will run till end of June 2020. The project focuses of ‘Land Restoration Entrepreneurs’ whose businesses restore the land such as farms that incorporate trees onto their land; growing restorative plants and trees (such as bamboo or cashew trees) on severely degraded lands, thus restoring the water table and increasing soil nutrients.
Also inclusive are businesses that involve reforestation that creates forests for both private and public clients; agroforestry and silvopasture which adds trees to the landscape of traditional agriculture lands; creation of organic fertilizer, pesticides and other nature-based soil amendments; technologies that lessen the demand for firewood, such as bio-fuel cookstoves; business models that support the profitability of maintaining forests, such as eco-tourism, bioprospecting, and sustainable forest products such as honey, specialty seeds and berries, mushrooms, oils and more. It could e recalled that the Land Accelerator’s second African cohort met from September 7-12, 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya and 14 startups were chosen from 335 applicants and represent 8 African countries. Each received a EUR 3,000 grant in addition to a travel stipend.
Read also:Kepple Africa Ventures Has Made Great Impacts on Early-Stage African Tech Startups
The Land Accelerator Africa has in the last few years attracted the partnership of World Resources Institute in participation with African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), a country-led effort to bring 100 million hectares of land in Africa into restoration by 2030, while Fledge, a global network of conscious company accelerators and investment funds that has invested in over 30 African companies, is the knowledge partner, providing world class skills-building and networking. The major donors are Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), a co-founder of the AFR100 initiative. In Africa BMZ is working to strengthen the development capacity of African states, and the DOEN Foundation supports pioneers who work hard to establish a greener, more socially inclusive, and more creative society, in which the capacity of the planet is the starting point.
Read also:Startup Accelerator Hseven Calls On African Startups With Innovative Solutions To Pitch
This project was inspired by the need to halt land degradation which is a threat to food production globally. United Nation’s sources claim that over 3.2 billion people are at risk from land degradation worldwide. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicate that three million hectares of forest are lost and 65 percent of land is impacted by degradation in Africa every year. Nearly two-thirds of Africa’s land is degraded, which hinders sustainable economic development and resilience to climate change. As a result, Africa has the largest restoration opportunity of any continent: more than 700 million hectares (1.7 billion acres) of degraded forest landscapes that can be restored. The potential benefits include improved food and water security, biodiversity protection, climate change resilience, and economic growth.
Through the Land Accelerator, efforts are made to build networks and give entrepreneurs the opportunity to increase their skills in storytelling and pitching so that they can connect with debt and equity funders who can help them reach the next level. Through expert mentorship, participants will explore new ways of maximizing their business models so that they can compete and grow their customer base, revenue, and environmental impact. Through sector-specific workshops participants will learn about cross cutting themes and best practices targeted towards land-based entrepreneurs such as farmer outreach, last-mile distribution, water management, international environmental certification standards and procedures, agroforestry techniques and conservation farming. The participants of Land Accelerators often network with one another, becoming each other’s newest clients, and most trusted sounding board for new ideas.
Read also:South African Gaming Startup Carry1st Raises $2.5m To Become Africa’s First Super App Maker
To actualize this purpose, the project managers are currently recruiting qualified business leaders, agricultural leaders, and investors to get involved as mentors, presenters, and venture judges. They are also seeking companies that would like to sponsor naming rights to a reception, or a grant prize to a judge-selected entrepreneur.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry