The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) IN Nigeria launched a COVID-19 Food Security Challenge that will help provide $3 million grant funding and technical assistance to youth-led and mid-stage companies working in food value chains in Nigeria.
The Food Security Challenge is launched to assist commercially viable youth-led and mid-stage companies that are working in food production, distribution, and processing to ensure food security and enhance their productivity.
Nigeria is experiencing food security due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food value chain of the country. The pandemic affected the country’s agricultural value chains which are already fragile and the ability of smallholder farmers to produce, process, and distribute food efficiently.
The mission director of USAID, Anne Patterson said in a statement, “We are launching COVID-19 Food Security Challenge to assist innovative Nigerians to reduce food insecurity.”
Patterson said, “The help motivates private sector-led solutions to enhance food processing, production, and create market linkage along the agricultural value chain in a way that is sustainable across Nigeria.”
Launching the challenge, USAID has opened applications for commercially viable mid-stage and youth-led companies that are working in food production, processing, and distribution.
Successful applicants will be required to present their ideas which demonstrate how they can help farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain boost their productivity and food security within the next six months.
The challenge will award 15 to 25 youth-led companies grant of around $75,000 each and grant 10 to 15 mid-stage companies up to $150,000 each.
Winners will receive funding and technical assistance to help expand their activities rapidly to reduce the COVID-19 effect on the food value chain of Nigeria and enhance the resilience of vulnerable households to the negative impact of the pandemic.
