GoGettaz 2023 Awards $116,000 To African Agripreneurs

The fifth annual GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition concluded with two visionary winners, each receiving a grand prize of $50,000. Hasina Andriatsitohaina, Founder of Mad’Arom in Madagascar, and Ikenna Nzewi, Co-Founder of Releaf Africa in Nigeria, triumphed during a youth-focused event at the Africa Food Systems Forum Summit 2023, attended by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

In addition to the top prizes, four Impact Award Winners were recognized with $2,500 each, and the remaining finalists received $1,000 each from Generation Africa partner USAID. These entrepreneurs showcased innovative businesses aligned with the summit’s theme, “Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation.”

Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA, highlighted the potential impact of these businesses, emphasizing the need for investor support. Amath Pathe Sene, Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum, stressed the significance of youth-led businesses in shaping the future of the food system.

Hasina Andriatsitohaina’s Mad’Arom promotes agroforestry among small-scale growers in Madagascar, producing essential oils and spices. Ikenna Nzewi’s Releaf Africa tackles food inefficiency with geospatial software, a mobile platform, and advanced palm nut de-shelling technology.

Four Impact Award Winners were also celebrated for their innovative solutions in agriculture. The 2023 GoGettaz campaign reached nearly 7 million people and received applications from 43 African countries, with an encouraging increase in female applicants.

The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition brought together twelve finalists, providing coaching, training, and networking opportunities. The competition was organized by Generation Africa and its esteemed panel of judges.

As the Africa Food Systems Summit concluded, the focus shifted to mentorship programs and policy reform to support youth and women in agriculture. Generation Africa is co-founded by leading organizations committed to advancing agriculture in Africa.

For more details about the winners and the competition, visit the respective websites provided.

Full List of the 2023 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Top 12

Women Agripreneurs

1. Jannifer Muthike, Dudu Masters Limited, Kenya
   – Dudu Masters: Restoring farmland with vermicompost.
2. Patience Ben, Farmavi Agro, Nigeria
   – Farmavi Agro: Upcycling waste into food and fertilizers.
3. Hasina Andriatsitohaina, Mad’Arom, Madagascar
   – Hasina Andriatsitohaina: Promoting agroforestry and essential oils.
4. Patrice Wachira, Patvention Recycling Enterprise, Kenya
   – Patvention Recycling Enterprise: Transforming plastic waste into beehives.
5. Margaret Wanjiku, Pollen Patrollers, Kenya
   – Pollen Patrollers: Smart beekeeping with IoT devices.
6. Crescentia Mushobozi, Tanzania Vijana Agribusiness Enterprises, Tanzania
   – Tanzania Vijana Agribusiness Enterprises: Solving malnutrition with superior potato strains.

Men Agripreneurs

1. Pelkins Ajanoh, CassVita, Cameroon
   CassVita: Extending cassava shelf-life for food security.
2. Tafadzwa Ron Chikwereti, eAgro, Zimbabwe
   eAgro: Simplifying farming with an AI chatbot.
3. Martin Dainbaquee, Eco-friendly Incubator Company, Sierra Leone
   Eco-friendly Incubator Company: Reinventing the egg and poultry industry.
4. Imani Bora, Hatch Plus, Rwanda
   Hatch Plus: Automating solar hatching for poultry farming.
5. Ikenna Nzewi, Releaf Africa, Nigeria
   Releaf Africa: Eliminating food inefficiency in the value chain.
6. Yohan Gallet, Sealife Organics, Mauritius
   Sealife Organics: Producing organic fertilizers sustainably.