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FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa

Dialogue with Agribusiness Incubators and SMEs in North Africa

Hybrid Event, 01/04/2021

Registration link: https://fao.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpduGtrDorHdLEfKAIlY0xF-3bGcWnBiy-

Languages: English with simultaneous translation into Arabic and French

INTRODUCTION

This is the final webinar in a series of sub-regional dialogues with the objective to share results, gather stakeholder feedback and validation on a Study of Agribusiness Incubation and Acceleration in Africa. The aim of the study has been to map, analyse and provide assessments of the best practices and critical success factors for agribusiness incubation and acceleration, while defining gaps, opportunities and discussing future prospects of establishing and operationalising agribusiness incubation/acceleration models in Africa.

The study is a joint collaboration between the African Union (AU) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and has been undertaken by the Agripreneurship Alliance.

Some of the preliminary findings and highlights from the study include:

  • New, but growing: Significant increases in incubators and accelerators registered in the region since 2010. Out of the 350 Incubators mapped through the study, 120 are purely agriculture focused.
  • Nearly 50 percent of incubators are in just 5 countries (Ghana, Kenya, South-Africa, Nigeria, and Uganda). There is a wide spectrum of Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), established by Government sponsored organizations, UN Agencies, Banks, Universities, NGO’s, and the Private Sector
  • Limited incubators engaged in agri-processing. Only 10 out of 350 Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) have any sort of pilot processing facilities.
  • Potential of Ag-Tech Incubators hampered by lack of advanced software engineers. Some incubators like Wennovation in Nigeria had to start their own IT coding schools.
  • Limited cross-fertilization of knowledge among incubators/accelerators. There is a potentially immense opportunity to learn from each other on the management and operating models, training, and mentorship programmes and services offered to the entrepreneurs.

OBJECTIVES OF THE WEBINAR

The main objectives of the webinar are:

  1. Share the findings from the study for feedback and validation.
  2. Strengthen the information and evidence-base through direct consultation and dialogue with Agribusiness Incubators and stakeholders from the region.
  3. Discuss the way forward for a proposed programme to build network and strengthen the agribusiness incubations and accelerations across Africa.

PARTICIPANTS

The webinar participants will include agribusiness incubators and accelerators from across North Africa, Business service providers, country Government representatives, sub-regional economic bodies, research centres and institutions, private enterprise representatives, youth, women and farmer representatives, SMEs, Development partners and Development banks.

AREAS OF DISCUSSION

      I.          Challenges, gaps, and opportunities for agribusiness incubation in North Africa.

    II.          Reflection on the reasons for limited agri-processing incubators in the region.

  III.          Agri-business incubation programmes focused on women – opportunities and needs.

  IV.          Impact of COVID19 on entrepreneurs, and how business incubators are responding to the needs on the ground.

    V.          Proposal for the way forward for incubation in North Africa

STRUCTURE AND PANELISTS

1. Opening of the webinar and welcome by Rachid Serraj - Delivery Manager Regional Initiative on Small Scale Family Farming – FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa (FAORNE), Cairo (Egypt) (5 minutes)

2. Perspective of the African Union Commission Dr. Janet Edeme Director of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AUC)

3. Introduction of the Webinar by the Moderator (5 minutes) Dalia Abulfotuh FAORNE

4. Presentation: Feedback from the Study and the input from the 4 sub-regional webinars [1] Anne Roulin – President, Agripreneurship Alliance

5. Panel Discussion

        Panellists

6. Question and Answer Sessio

7. Closing Remarks Rachid Serraj

[1] Note: Presentation of the Study Findings will be shared with all panelists ahead of the meeting to allow more time for discussion and consultation. While the discussion results will aim at finding specific challenges, best practices, and prospects of building the agribusiness incubation and acceleration network across Africa.