Photo: Supplied
In celebration of International Youth Month in August, Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) announced the winners of the Nestlé Needs YOUth (NNY) Agri Competition, who walked away with mentorship and coaching opportunities totalling US$30 000 (around R520 000), courtesy of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa’s Ignite Business Accelerator.
Over 600 entries were received from young agripreneurs across the region, and the top 10 finalists were from South Africa (Sahaba Projects, Imbewu Farmers, AgriNouri, Guwela Farming, Zsqaured Projects and Sekgale Trading Enterprise), Kenya (Melmax Farm Fresh, Tuluk Honey Traders Baringo, and Kokwa Island Beekeeper), and Uganda (Kyega Valley Mixed Farms).
Speaking about the competition, Athol Swanepoel, HR director for Nestlé ESAR, said: “Young people are at the heart of regeneration and are our future. They are the entrepreneurs and innovators of tomorrow. In agriculture exists sustainable economic opportunities that the youth can unlock, and for a business such as ours, there are opportunities to partner with these agribusinesses”.
Winner of first place was 26-year-old Fellistus Mmankopodi Sekgale of agribusiness QueenAgri, based in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune district. Sekgale was awarded the opportunity to attend the Ignite Investment for Scale programme through the Branson Centre. The prize is an intensive six-month mentorship and coaching programme, with access to industry professionals and business coaches across eight critical areas in business. QueenAgri is a mixed farming operation that produces livestock and cash crops on 20ha.
Twenty-nine-year-old Melvin Muna of Melmax Farm Fresh took second place. His business is based in Kibwezi Town in the Makueni County, Kenya. Muna won the Ignite Access to Markets prize, a three-month programme that includes mentoring and coaching, as well as access to industry professionals and business coaches across four critical areas of business. Melmax is a large-scale chilli-farming operation.
Kyega Valley Mixed Farms specialises in livestock, breeding goats for sale to abattoirs and individual retailers, to meet the growing demand for improved Boer goats.
Third place went to 29-year-old John Wani of Kyega Valley Mixed Farms in Uganda’s Kiryandongo District. Wani’s prize was the Ignite Ideation into Action, a one-month mentoring programme with access to industry professionals and business coaches across three critical business areas.
“The Branson Centre’s Ignite Business Accelerator programme seeks to help entrepreneurs to have an impact on society, the environment, and the economy, and this partnership with Nestlé ESAR is crucial in providing opportunities for our youth to thrive,” says Nwabisa Mayema, strategic partnership director at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa.
The Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative aims to help young people gain access to apprenticeships, training and job opportunities. The global ambition is to help 10 million young people around the world access economic opportunities by 2030 through employment and employability, agripreneurship and entrepreneurship.
For more information, visit nestle-esar.com.
