FAO Global AgriInno Challenge for African Entrepreneurs 2021

Global AgriInno Challenge 2021 aims to harness innovation, entrepreneurship and digital technologies to address challenges related to the transformation from rural villages into ‘Digital Villages’that contribute to the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, while leaving no one behind.

Join us now, and you’ll have the chance to share information and enhance your knowledge on digital agriculture, innovation and start-up practices through a unique global network composed of United Nations’ mentors, leading angel investors, academic experts and youth agripreneurs/innovators from the global agri-food sector.

Adopting a bottom-up approach, Global AgriInno Challenge 2021 seeks to address challenges related to the transformation of rural villages into Digital Villages for the Four Betters and contribute directly to SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities) as well as to supporting the achievement of the broader SDG agenda.  

About Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Their goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. They believe that everyone can play a part in ending hunger. FAO’s mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world econ..... read more

Global AgriInno Challenge

Aim and Benefits of Global AgriInno Challenge

The teams selected to attend the Hacking For Good and Pitch Event in China will benefit from:

• 2-day professional development around your team’s solution through an approach of co-creation with other young agripreneurs/innovators and experienced experts worldwide. All related expenses for attending the Hacking For Good and pitch events in China will be covered, including a) travel expenses: round-trip flight and/or train; local transportation fee (taxi/bus/subway); b) accommodation and meals; c) visa application fees as applicable for international participants.  
• The access to open data sets from FAO and other partners, such as the FAO Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform, FAO Digital Services Portfolio, Data Lab for Statistical Innovation, and the Earthmap, a Google Earth Engine based tool,
• Advice from experienced experts from the UN, international organizations, the private sector and academia, and the chance to have a dialogue with high-level representatives from leading companies and organizations.
• The chance to meet top angel investors from venture capital funds and business leaders in the agri-food sector who may invest in your solutions.
• The chance to build your global network in digital agriculture with a multitude of stakeholders.
• The top winning teams will receive seed funding.
• The top winning teams will have the opportunity to join the Digital Agriculture Bootcamp (training, travel and accommodation covered).
• Become an alumnus for Global AgriInno Challenge.

Requirements for Global AgriInno Challenge Qualification

The Global AgriInno Challenge 2021 is open to:

• FAO staff practicing or exploring innovation, digital agriculture, digital solutions, and rural transformation;
• all youth with digital innovations or ideas for agri-food sector.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Global AgriInno Challenge

• The theme of this year is Digital Villages Solutions for the Four Betters. 
• The team needs to harness innovation, digital technology, and entrepreneurship to contribute to the transformation of rural villages into Digital Villages for the Four Betters given full consideration of local development status and context. More information about the Four Betters is here.
• The team is registered as a company or the project has been operational for at least 1 year.
• One leader of the team must be under 35 years old.
• Teams with female member(s) are highly encouraged.
• Each team should be composed of a minimum of 2 people; maximum 5 people to participate on-site.
• The feasibility and ability of using innovation/digital technology/business model to solve challenges relating to the transformation of rural villages into digital villages and the contribution to the Four Betters must be clearly presented.
• The possibility of replication or scaling-up your digital villages solutions must be demonstrated.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

The team leader needs to submit a) the application form; b) the innovation solution presentation (in PPT format); and c)a video to [email protected] and copying [email protected] by 24 October 2021 (24:00 CEST). 

The documentation to submit should include (in English):

• Application Form?you may scan QR code on item 12 or use attached form in annex?
• Innovation Solution (PowerPoint of max 12 slides, up to 250 words per slide, Microsoft YaHei Font?font size not less than 16)
• Summary of the solution (up to 250 words)
• Problem identification (analysis of challenges relating to Digital Villages)
• Four Better Categories (identify which of the Four Betters do you apply your Digital Villages solutions to?)
• Mission, vision, values of the project (the type of agriculture activity/sub-sector targeted)
• Technical model (how to address challenges relating to Digital Villages?)
• Timing justification (why is this moment the best time?)
• Situation analysis (who is your main competitor and why is your solution better or more innovative than others?)
• Business plan (target group, the description of outputs and related activities, adoption strategy, applied methods, partners, sustainability, and consideration of gender)
• Financial situation (capital raised, capital needed, revenue analysis)
• Phased development planning (what is the potential contribution of your solution in three years? how do you plan to achieve it? what are the milestones?)
• 1-2 minutes long video explaining:
• How is your Digital Villages idea or solution going to contribute to the Four Betters and help benefit vulnerable and rural populations? Answer this question in a 1-2 minute long video. Upload the video online to a video sharing platform (YouTube, Google Cloud, Youku, Baidu Cloud or others) and share the address of the link. 

For more details, visit FAO website.