Youth-Led African Enterprises Awarded $800,000 at COP28 for Climate Solutions
D
ubai, United Arab Emirates, 3 December 2023 – Eight dynamic African youth-led businesses were announced as winners of the YouthAdapt challenge today. Each business will be given grant funding of up to $100,000 each and will receive training, mentorship, and coaching to support their climate change adaptation solutions and businesses in their communities and across Africa as part of a 12-month accelerator program.
Jointly organized by the African Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation, supported by the Africa Climate Change Fund, YouthADAPT is an annual competition that invites young entrepreneurs leading micro, small, and medium enterprises in Africa to submit innovative solutions and business ideas that can drive climate change adaptation and resilience across the continent.
This year’s focus was on female-owned enterprises pioneering Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, virtual reality, robotics, Internet of Things, quantum computing, additive manufacturing, blockchain, and fifth-generation wireless for climate adaptation.
During the awards ceremony at COP28, Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation, noted the importance of nurturing the talent of Africa’s youth:
“Young people hold the key to unlocking Africa’s economic potential. With the youngest population in the world – almost 60 percent are aged under 25 – Africa is well placed to grow. But too many young people, particularly those with valuable skills, are leaving the continent. Through businesses embracing sustainability more deeply through initiatives like the YouthADAPT awards young people will have opportunities for training and jobs that they value to keep African talent at home.”
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, said “As we move forward, it is imperative that we harness the boundless potential encapsulated within the ideas, creativity, and sheer enthusiasm of our youth to improve not just their own lives but also the prosperity of their nations. Our aim is to generate wealth rooted in the vibrancy of our youth.”
“The Jobs for Youth in Africa and the Skills Employability initiatives at the Bank stand as a testament to our commitment—a commitment to create 25 million jobs for our youth, ensuring that 250 million individuals find their path to the labor market. This initiative is a pledge to empower the youth and shape a thriving future.”
Cheryl Urban, Assistant Deputy Minister Sub-Saharan Africa, Global Affairs Canada underscored “The YouthADAPT program provides crucial support in scaling up youth-led climate businesses and innovations in Africa. Canada is proud of being a contributor to the initiative.”
Beth Dunford said, “The vigor and innovative solutions showcased here embody the very essence of what we require—a surge of energy and ideas that demand our support. Scaling up our backing for these entrepreneurs is crucial.”
“The involvement of women in these solutions is pivotal, especially considering that 70% of Africa’s farmers are women. However, addressing key barriers, particularly the access to finance, remains an urgent priority. There exists a staggering $240 billion finance gap, primarily affecting women, and bridging this gap is imperative to amplify their voices and contributions,” Dunford added.
Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, the African Union Youth Envoy, emphasized the critical need to bolster support for young entrepreneurs and and implementing effective information-sharing mechanisms across regions.
One of this year’s award recipients, Lucy Wangari from Onion Doctor Limited described the award as “pivotal in scaling our innovative solution across the entire onion value chain to boost local onion production by 20% and transform the onion value chain into a lucrative source of employment for farmers in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands.”
Past winners shared testimonies on how the grant empowered their ventures.
“Securing this grant was a game-changer, propelling our business to new heights. It not only fueled our expansion into untapped markets but also drove the innovation of groundbreaking clean technologies, solidifying our impact on a global scale,” said Fela Akinse, the CEO of Salubata, and YouthADAPT Cohort 1 Innovator
The winning businesses, led by women from across Africa focus sectors significantly impacted by climate change: agriculture, energy efficiency, disaster risk management, water resources, and biodiversity conservation.
The winning ventures and their groundbreaking initiatives include:
- Deborah Nzarubara, ETS Grecom, Democratic Republic of Congo: Leveraging big data, ETS Grecom provides real-time weather data, bolstering agricultural productivity and supporting pollinating bees for sustainable farming practices.
- Mirriam Chapi, Chapi Core Tech, Zambia: Through the EaseOn Track app, Chapi Core Tech has empowered over 5,000 women farmers, facilitating clean energy adoption and enhancing agricultural output.
- Eddah Wanjiru, Arinifu Technologies, Kenya: The Smart Brooder & Kuku Smart innovation utilizes Internet of Things technology, offering poultry solutions and operational insights, benefitting Kenya’s farming community.
- Fatoumata Diaby, Jeune Agro-Innovatour, Mali: Jeune Agro-Innovatour’s E-Compost software transforms invasive water hyacinth into premium compost, championing sustainable agricultural practices.
- Beth Koigi, Majik Water Technologies, Kenya: Majik Water Technologies pioneers atmospheric water harvesting, providing vital water resources to drought-stricken farming communities in Kenya.
- Lucy Wangari, Onion Doctor Limited, Kenya: Using Internet of Things and machine learning, Onion Doctor Limited monitors onion crops, optimizing sustainability and profitability for Kenyan farmers.
- Daniella Ushindi Viruvuswagha, ETS Chemchem Agro, DRC: Their ApiConnect app employs Machine Learning for strategic beehive placement, significantly boosting honey production in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Stephanie Meltus, Green Eden Farms, Nigeria: Green Eden Farms utilizes Scaregrow technology to offer real-time insights, enhancing productivity and resilience in Nigerian agriculture.
To date, the YouthADAPT initiative has provided financial support totaling $5.1 million to 33 young entrepreneurs from 19 African nations.
Contacts
African Development Bank
Joash Ntenga Moitui, Communications and Knowledge Management, Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program: j.moitui@afdb.org
Africa Climate Change Fund
Rita Effah, Coordinator, Africa Climate Change Fund r.effah@afdb.org
Global Center on Adaptation
Alex Gee, Head of Communications, Global Center on Adaptation: alex.gee@gca.com
