Shs. 222M For Youth Agri-Innovators
By Pray Nandada - NewVison
Expanded Focus
“Unlike in the past where the focus has been on innovators, this year, it is expanding to accommodate entrepreneurs running their own businesses and creating jobs for Uganda’s youth,” Matovu said during the launch of the competition on Tuesday at Heifer International Uganda.
He added the 4th edition of the AYuTe Africa Challenge Uganda.
Competition Milestones
Since its launch in 2021, AYuTe Africa Challenge in Uganda has attracted over 600 youth, awarded 12 winning ventures and impacted over 8,000 smallholder farmers. Innovations have until June 30, this year to heed the call of participation. Matovu said besides winning at the national challenge, this year’s winners will also compete at the continental level in the AYuTe Africa NextGen grand challenge (happening next year), and these will join youth innovators from across Africa to advance climate and tech-driven agriculture innovations.
“While innovation remains at the core of AYuTe Africa this year, we are going a step further by recognising agripreneurs with the entrepreneurial skills to turn solutions into sustainable businesses,” Matovu said.
Economic Growth
He said through the challenge, Heifer International wants to produce change-makers who will stimulate job creation, businesses that will transform the future of farming.
“Uganda faces a growing youth population and a pressing need for job creation, particularly when propelled by youth-led innovations and enterprise. AYuTe Africa Challenge 2025 aims to position youth as both solution providers and economic drivers,” Matovu said.
The chief guest, agriculture minister Fred Kyakulaga Bwino, said the initiative by Heifer International is in line with Vision 2040, Uganda’s strategy that aims at transforming agriculture from subsistence to commercial enterprises. He also said the challenge is more than an event, adding that it champions and promotes youth-led innovations addressing real problems, from the farm to the market. All young people who have proven innovations that can boost the agriculture sector can apply for this year’s AYuTe Challenge. “This may be the beginning of a great journey for you when your idea or innovation is funded, scaled and marketed under this initiative,” Bwino said.
Government Endorsement
Kenneth Bagarukayo, the commissioner for research and development in the ICT ministry, appealed to the young rural and aspiring agriculture entrepreneurs to develop solutions that have both potential and can be scaled so as to align with the needs of the smallholder farmers. The 2025 AYuTe Africa Challenge in Uganda is organised in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, ICT ministry and Mastercard Foundation.
Take Part
The youth will have to participate in the call by following the prompts on the AYuTe Africa Challenge website at https://ayuteafrica.com. The call for participation is running until June 30, this year