This is a national call for applications.
Applicants from all the 47 counties are encouraged to apply. The deadline for submission of applications is 15th September, 2023
1.0 Introduction and general overview of the competition
It is envisioned that this programme will unlock the potential agribusiness and value chain actors while contributing to increased smallholder production and household incomes. Improved agricultural production will have a positive ripple effect on Food Security, one of the pillars of the Big Four Action Plan being implemented by the Government of Kenya.
The AgriBiz Programme launched the Vijana na AgriBiz Competition in 2020 executed by KCIC. The 2023 edition of the competition will open on 14th August, 2023 with a call for applications to run until 15th September, 2023. Thereafter, evaluation of the applications will be done and responses to the applicants will be communicated by KCIC by 2nd October, 2023. KCIC will offer successful applicants a confirmation email which they will be required to acknowledge.
Vijana na AgriBiz Competition targets youth with innovative ideas in agribusiness and who are willing to show them to the world as well as to actualize them from ideation to actualization and finally commercialization. The competition will address key challenges that hinder youth from tapping into the immense potential in the agricultural sector. The competition will equally support the full spectrum of the value chain from agricultural inputs and producers, to suppliers for end consumers in conventional agriculture, fisheries and livestock.
The objectives of this competition include:
1. Fostering innovation in agricultural practices and in agribusinesses;
2. Building the capacity of local entrepreneurs especially the youth;
3. Promoting an innovative entrepreneurial culture in agribusiness;
4. Enhancing local and international awareness of the innovative practices;
5. Creating market linkages and offer opportunities for scaling up; and
6. Identifying and supporting high – growth entrepreneurs like to spur economic growth.
This competition invites interested youth with innovative agribusiness ideas. Participants will enter the competition by submitting their agribusiness idea through an online tool that will be made available on agribiz.kenyacic.org. Submissions will be accepted from across the country and per hub. The applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.
1. Competition Launch: Once the competition is launched, the call for applications will be broadcasted. The launch will be planned in several stages to ensure that all potential participants have access to information about the competition and thus an opportunity to participate. The channels used to publicize the launch and the call for applications will be aligned to the target audience of youth.
2. Submission of applications: Applications will be submitted at the county level under the 8 KCIC Regional hubs. Application templates and procedures will effectively communicate to the participants what they are signing up for and the expectations at each stage of the competition. The communication will clearly disclose the prizes to manage expectations right at inception. An online based application process will be utilized and will be simple and easy to use to ensure the applicants have a clear understanding of all the factors that must be considered for their application to be considered as successful.
3. Selection of participants (Preliminaries – Elimination zone): After the country wide call for application.
Participants will be selected from all over the country. 5 shortlisted cases from each KCIC incubation hub will be will be selected and undergo a 3-day county virtual boot-camp and pitch to the jury. Thereafter, 3 successful applicants from each incubation hub will be selected by a panel of judges to proceed for a national physical boot-camp.
4. Semi-Finals – The 24 applicants from the 8 hubs will pitch at the national boot-camp to select top 10 applicants who will proceed to the final competitions. These 10 participants will be absorbed in the AgriBiz Program, Year 5.
5. The competition will culminate with awarding the top three finalists with Proof of Concept grant tickets as follows;
a. Second Runners Up – Kshs. 500,000
b. First Runners Up – Kshs. 750,000
c. Winner – Kshs. 1,000,000
Benefits to the contestants
Applications will be encouraged for all idea stages irrespective of how young or ambitious it is. The shortlisted contestants in this competition will be enrolled for a boot-camp and coaching sessions which will proffer them with the following benefits:
• KCIC will support the contestants fast track their idea into a profitable agribusiness and bypass all possible pitfalls along the way.
• Contestants will learn how to raise financing for their ideas.
• Contestants will get an opportunity to pitch during the county qualifiers, semi-finals and finals of the competition.
Selection criteria
The following will be considered when reviewing the applications:
1. Entrepreneurial spirit and self-drive
2. Business or market potential
3. Innovation and technological potential
4. Feasibility and viability of the agribusiness idea
5. Job creation and social impact
6. Team capacity
7. Impact: Social and Environmental
Kindly visit agribiz.kenyacic.org for a detailed copy of the application guidelines.
