The third edition of the AYuTe Africa Challenge-Uganda was launched last week, with another promise from the coordinators to create jobs for the Uganda youth.
Organized by Heifer International, the AYuTe Africa Challenge is a transformative initiative that seeks to empower young entrepreneurs to revolutionize the agricultural sector across the African continent.
Uganda-based innovators aged between 18 and 35 years, are encouraged to apply and compete for UGX 112 million in cash awards and other development support in the third edition.
The innovators must have operations at start-up stage and working with smallholder farmers, among other requirements.
The application process will stay open up to July 25, 2024.
Top finalists will undergo a comprehensive incubation period and pitch events, culminating in a Grand Finale Gala in September 2024, where the best five innovators will be recognized.
Since it started in Uganda in 2021, the competition has served as a catalyst for innovation, economic resilience, and agri-tech advancement.
In 2022, the AYuTe Challenge awarded 4 young innovators, followed by 3 awardees in 2023, including a female entrepreneur. In total, the seven (7) youth have won UGX 120 million which has mainly gone towards scaling up of their inventions.
“The first two editions of the AYuTe Challenge attracted applications from 443 talented youth from diverse backgrounds across Uganda; in so doing, we brought to the market close to 450 innovations. For me that’s a great success because it is likely that we would never know that those innovations existed without AYuTe,” said William Matovu, the Heifer International Country Director for Uganda.
Importantly, some of the inventions have since been turned into businesses, addressing the challenges that farmers face within the agricultural value chain.
Additionally, the young innovators have not only created jobs for themselves but also created jobs for others.
At least 4,915 smallholder farmers, including 3,165 women have been positively impacted by the AYuTe cohort through training, product sales, and technology demonstrations.
Samantha Ainembabazi, the second runner-up in 2023 utilized the funds to procure more inputs for her Freza Nanotech innovation which extends fruit shelf life to 30 days.
“I am thrilled to see the return of the AYuTe Africa Challenge Season 3. This competition has provided me with a valuable opportunity to establish myself in a male-dominated industry. With my prize, I was able to scale my business by purchasing essential raw materials and hiring additional staff,” Ainembabazi said.
Adding, “Furthermore, Heifer International gave me more exposure by seconding me to participate in the #AYuTeNextGen regional competition held in Kigali early this year. In this competition, I won an additional USD 20,000 on top of networking opportunities with other young innovators and delegates. I strongly encourage all eligible participants to apply. In this competition, there are no losers as the opportunity exposes you to a lot more”
Mondo Kyateka, Commissioner Youth and Children in the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development hailed Heifer International for helping to address youth unemployment.
A 2021 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) report said youth unemployment stood at 41%.
“The young people have the energy and innovative acumen to contribute to Uganda’s development but often lack the means. Heifer International’s efforts are pivotal in equipping our youth with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to succeed,” Kyateka said.
Adding, “The focus on agriculture and digital innovation is particularly commendable, as it aligns with our national development goals and the broader agenda of food security and economic growth enshrined in the National Development Plan III.”
This year’s edition promises more exciting opportunities; including a special category reserved for female innovators, so as to promote women participation.
In addition, contestants will also undergo rigorous incubation through partnerships with various innovation hubs to continue nurturing their businesses.
The AYuTe Africa Challenge, Uganda Edition call for participation will run from July 11, 2024 to July 25, 2024.
Eligibility Criteria
• The Competition is open to Ugandans aged 18 – 35 years who are innovators and owners of start-ups OR have been operating a business for the past three years
• They must have the potential to translate innovations into meaningful impact for small holder farmers across the country
• They must show that there is demand among smallholder farmers for what is being provided and that it’s affordable
• The innovation must be a truly innovative product or service with potential for growth, viable market and not merely duplicating something that exists in many other markets.
How to Participate
• Record a video introducing yourself and demonstrating how the proposed innovation works; what problem it seeks to solve; how it can potentially translate into meaningful impact for smallholder farmers across the country and how much money you would need to bring it to life.
• The video submitted must not be longer than 2 minutes. It must have clear audio and must be shared in MP4 Format.
• Participants must submit their videos to the competition portal https://ayute.africa/uganda.
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Publish date : 2024-07-16 14:16:37
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