Scale Your Agribusiness Across Africa with the AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator Program: Apply Now

Ednah Carrick November 18, 2025

0 473 3 minutes read

Closing Date: 14 December 2025

Scale Your Agribusiness Across Africa with the AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator Program: Apply Now

Overview

The Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator (HGSA-A), led by AUDA-NEPAD, is offering a transformative opportunity for growth-stage, African-led agribusinesses. This accelerator program supports scalable and innovative agribusiness businesses operating across the agricultural value chain — from processing and logistics to digital agriculture and climate-smart agriculture.

Why the HGSA-A Program Is a Game Changer

Agribusiness is vital for Africa’s economic development, food security, and job creation. Yet, many promising agribusinesses lack access to capital, markets, and the technical capacity needed to scale sustainably. By investing in “home-grown solutions,” AUDA-NEPAD is helping agribusinesses that are rooted in their local economies and led by Africans to grow and integrate into regional markets.

The accelerator also has a strong emphasis on inclusion: it prioritizes women-led enterprises (70%) and youth-led teams (30%). This makes it a powerful tool for economic empowerment and generational opportunity, while supporting value chains that are key for Africa’s long-term resilience and food sovereignty.

What the Accelerator Supports

The HGSA-A program targets agribusinesses that:

Are legally registered and operational in COMESA member states.
Are African-owned or African-led companies.
Operate in high-potential agribusiness value chains, including:
- Input supply
- Aggregation and aggregation logistics
- Agro-processing and value addition
- Market access services
- Digital agriculture and climate-smart inputs
Demonstrate a proven and innovative business model with realistic financials (approx. USD 100,000 annual turnover for growth-stage)
Have financial sustainability via audited accounts for at least the last three years.
Commit to inclusive growth, actively engaging youth, women, persons with disabilities, and refugees.
Show green growth potential, such as through climate-smart agricultural practices.
Have regional market ambitions, including export linkages or national trade expansion through AfCFTA or COMESA markets.

Benefits for Selected Agribusinesses

Participating companies in the accelerator gain access to:

Tailored advisory support, with sector experts helping refine business strategy and investment readiness.
Mentorship and technical assistance, giving agribusinesses the tools to improve operations, marketing, and sustainability.
Access to regional and global markets, enabling growth under frameworks like AfCFTA.
Investment readiness support, helping companies attract capital from investors who care about impact and scale.
Network building, connecting entrepreneurs with peers, buyers, and investor communities across Africa.

Who Should Apply

This accelerator is ideal for:

Established agribusinesses ready to scale beyond local markets into regional trade flows.
Entrepreneurs driven by inclusivity — especially women-led or youth-led teams who want to grow responsibly.
Companies innovating in areas like digital agriculture, sustainability, agro-processing, and value-chain efficiency.
Businesses looking to green their operations and leverage climate-smart models.
Pan-African teams that want to access institutional support, regional networks, and investor capital.

How to Apply

Check Eligibility: Confirm your company operates in a COMESA country, is African led/owned, and aligns with the accelerator’s sector focus.
Prepare Your Application: Develop a concise business plan or pitch, showing your model, financials (including turnover and accounts), growth plans, and impact on inclusion.
Demonstrate Capacity: Highlight audited accounts, inclusive practices, and how your business contributes to sustainable agriculture.
Apply Before the Deadline: Ensure your application is submitted before the closing date for the 2026 accelerator cycle.
Engage with Experts: Use the opportunity of mentorship to refine your business strategy and investment pitch.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss This

Joining the HGSA-A program means gaining the structured support you need to scale meaningfully. With advisory, market access, and capital-readiness resources, agribusinesses can become scalable, sustainable, and resilient. This accelerator is a vital stepping stone for ventures aiming to transform agriculture and strengthen regional value chains — while also promoting youth and women’s economic leadership embedded in Africa’s future.

If you’re ready to take your agribusiness to the next level — apply to the Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator today. Your innovation could drive food security, climate resilience, and inclusive growth across Africa.