Young agripreneurs from across Africa showcased their innovative solutions and inspired change at SACAU’s recent annual conference, transforming the agricultural sector with passion and ingenuity.
Meet Malawi’s shining star
Grace Gondwe, a young agripreneur from Malawi, stood confidently before the audience at the 2023 annual conference of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU). She shared her remarkable journey and the impact her company is making in the agricultural sector.
“I’m from the warm heart of Africa that is Malawi, and I am also a young agripreneur,” Gondwe began, a smile spreading across her face. “I run and own a registered company called Kumpa Agro Services, which is also a research unit.”
Gondwe’s mission is to promote and commercialise local products, with a particular focus on cross-breeding local chickens to make them more viable for smallholder farmers in Malawi. She emphasised the importance of empowering these farmers and equipping them with the resources they need for success.
“We run incubation services, we process feed, and we also had a hot culture in some salts, which we are using to integrate with livestock,” Gondwe explained passionately. Her dedication to sustainable practices and her desire to uplift smallholder farmers were evident in her words.
Investing in the youth
Gondwe’s story was not just about her own success but also about the countless other brilliant young minds across Africa who are driving change in the agricultural sector. “If you want to invest in the future, you invest in the youth,” she asserted. “The youth is worth your investments. There are some examples of brilliant minds among us so please invest in us.”
As she concluded her presentation, Gondwe left the audience inspired and motivated. Her genuine belief in the potential of youth entrepreneurship in agriculture resonated with everyone present.
Other young agripreneurs also took the SACAU stage to share their innovative solutions and experiences.
Overcoming challenges across Africa
Mochesane Mpali, the CEO and founder of Lima Agrivest in Limpopo, highlighted the socioeconomic impacts faced by landlocked countries like Lesotho. He emphasised the need to maximise the utilisation of available resources and reduce dependence on food imports. “We actually end up importing that much food into our country,” Mpali said, urging for innovative approaches to overcome this challenge.
Tracy Kimathi, the founder of Baridi, a local Kenyan start-up, introduced their solar-powered freezer designed to prevent post-harvest losses in the livestock value chain. “Our solution is the solar-powered freezer, designed to prevent both post-harvest losses and inefficient energy within livestock economies across the Horn of Africa,” Kimathi explained passionately.
Baridi’s innovative use of renewable resources showcased their commitment to sustainable practices.
Constantine Edwards, the director of Agri Life in Tanzania, addressed the problem of organic waste management in his city. By utilising black soldier fly larvae, Agri Life turns organic waste into sustainable social protein and organic food. “We start with a problem,” Edwards explained. “In my city, we have a problem with organic waste. So more than 10 000 tonnes of organic waste are generated every single day, and the municipal doesn’t have the capacity to process all those kinds of organic waste.”
An inspiration for others
Through their collective stories, these agripreneurs demonstrated the immense potential of youth-driven initiatives in transforming Africa’s agricultural landscape. Their passion, dedication, and innovative solutions left an indelible mark on the audience, inspiring others to join the movement and invest in the future.
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