The GSMA Innovation Fund for Digitisation of Agricultural Value Chains is calling for African agri-tech startups to apply for funds to support their agri-tech solutions. The fund aims to scale digital solutions for the agricultural last mile and improve smallholders’ financial inclusion, livelihood and climate resilience.
All agri-tech startups are encouraged to apply however, priority will be placed on agribusinesses and cooperatives currently procuring from smallholders, primarily those living on less than US$2 per day.
The Fund is ready to provide grants of USD 280,000 each to support 8 projects. GSMA will also provide support and consultancy to assist the development of business plans, and service implementation through market research, user-centric design, business intelligence, user-testing with agribusiness staff and smallholders.
There are two categories to which grants are available: the mobile money-driven and data-driven categories.
The Mobile-money driven category is open to mobile money providers in partnership with agritech vendors who are in the process of developing, implementing, launching and or scaling social enterprise services. The services have to digitise the agricultural last mile procurement and communication with smallholders.
Data-driven category is open to agri-tech ventures that have already scaled a last mile digitalisation service and have established a model for generating digital farmer record, as well as explored linking farmer records with financial service providers.
Both categories involve a two-step application process. Step 1: submission of a concept note. Step 2: shortlisted applicants (from step 1) develop a business plan.
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All eligible applicants at concept stage will be invited to join the GSMA Agri-tech Priority Learning Partners Initiative, regardless of whether the receive the grants. Here they will have access to knowledge sharing resources and events including webinars on the topic of enterprise solutions for the last mile.
Do you think your agri-tech startup qualifies? Apply and find out.
Applications will not be accepted beyond July 31st.
