Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator

The Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator (HGSA-A) is a COMESA regional initiative funded by the Government of New Zealand (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and implemented by AUDA-NEPAD. It is designed to support established, African-led agribusinesses that are delivering scalable, innovative and impact-oriented solutions across the agricultural value chain, with a focus on food security, climate resilience and regional trade. Applications for the current cohort close on 14 December 2025.

Program Snapshot

• Program Name: Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator (HGSA-A)
• Geographic Focus: COMESA member states
• Lead Implementing Agency: AUDA-NEPAD
• Funding Partner: Government of New Zealand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Primary Focus: Growth-stage agribusinesses with scalable, innovative and impact-driven models
• Application Deadline: 14 December 2025

Core Purpose and Objectives

• Promote inclusive agribusiness growth
  • Support African-owned and -led enterprises that contribute to food security and nutrition.
  • Encourage models that create decent jobs and opportunities for youth, women, people with disabilities, and refugees.
• Advance climate-smart and green growth practices
  • Back companies applying climate change mitigation or adaptation techniques.
  • Support use of resource-efficient processes, renewable energy, waste reduction, recycling and sustainable packaging, aligned with green growth principles.
• Strengthen regional trade and market integration
  • Help enterprises expand access to regional and international markets.
  • Facilitate cross-border trade under the AfCFTA and within the COMESA region.
• Boost investment readiness and fundraising capacity
  • Provide tailored support to help businesses prepare for investment.
  • Enhance their ability to raise capital and manage growth sustainably.

Eligibility Criteria

• Legal and operational status
  • Legally registered and operational in a COMESA member state.
• Ownership and leadership
  • African-owned or African-led growth-stage company.
  • Strong preference for:
    • Women-owned or women-led enterprises: 70% of selected cohort.
    • Youth-owned or youth-led enterprises (18–35 years): 30% of selected cohort.
• Business profile and scale
  • Established agribusiness with a proven and innovative business model.
  • Annual turnover close to $100,000 (threshold may vary by country).
  • Demonstrated capacity for growth and scale across markets.
• Financial and governance readiness
  • Audited financial accounts for at least the last three years.
  • Basic compliance structures in place (governance, financial management, regulatory compliance).
• Impact and inclusion
  • Contribute to:
    • Food security and nutrition outcomes.
    • Inclusive economic participation of youth, women, people with disabilities and refugees.
  • Alignment with HGSA-A’s wider objectives of supporting stability and prosperity through agribusiness.
• Green growth orientation
  • Actively promote green growth through:
    • Climate-smart agriculture practices.
    • Resource-efficient production processes.
    • Renewable energy products or solutions.
    • Waste reduction, recycling and/or sustainable packaging.

Priority Sectors and Value Chains

• Agribusiness value chains (beyond primary production)
  • High-value crops (excluding basic primary production focus).
  • Input supply and agricultural services.
  • Agro-processing and value addition activities.
  • Commercialisation and import substitution.
• Enabling and support services
  • Aggregation and logistics services across the value chain.
  • Distribution and market access services.
  • Digital agriculture solutions and platforms.
  • Climate-smart inputs and technologies that enhance resilience and productivity.

Market Reach and Scalability Requirements

• Regional and international potential
  • Clear prospects for accessing regional or international markets.
  • Evidence or strong indicators of:
    • Existing or emerging export linkages.
    • Partnerships across COMESA countries.
    • Proven demand beyond local or national markets.
• Scalable and replicable model
  • Business model that can be replicated or adapted to different contexts.
  • Clear and realistic strategy for regional expansion and scale-up.

Program Benefits

• Context-specific advisory services
  • Tailored business and technical advisory support aligned with industry, country and growth stage.
• Cross-border regulatory and trade support
  • Guidance on navigating regulatory frameworks linked to AfCFTA and COMESA.
  • Support to ease cross-border trade and expand regional operations.
• Investment readiness and fundraising support
  • Structured support to improve investment readiness.
  • Potential for accessing HGSA-A investment funding to drive business growth.
• Access to strategic networks
  • Matching with regional buyers, investors and mentors.
  • Linkages to strategic partners that can unlock new markets and opportunities.
• Post-acceleration follow-up
  • Continued engagement and support after the acceleration phase.
  • Focus on sustaining growth, impact and regional integration over the long term.

Selection Process Overview

• Stage 1 – Technical Eligibility Review
  • Assessment of required documentation, including:
    • Business registration and legal status.
    • Audited financial accounts and core compliance documentation.
• Stage 2 – Thematic Innovation Alignment (Interviews)
  • Interviews to evaluate:
    • Fit with HGSA-A thematic priorities (food security, climate, regional trade, inclusion).
    • Business model strength and innovation.
    • Scalability and socio-economic impact potential.
• Stage 3 – Due Diligence
  • In-depth review of:
    • Business model robustness and growth track record.
    • Leadership and management capacity.
    • Impact profile, including sustainability and inclusion.
    • Overall readiness to enter and benefit from the accelerator.

Key Partners

• AUDA-NEPAD (African Union Development Agency)
  • Lead implementing institution for the accelerator.
• E4Impact Foundation
  • Entrepreneurship-focused implementation partner.
• Fie-Consult
  • Advisory partner providing growth and technical support.
• New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade – Aid Programme
  • Funding partner supporting the initiative.

The Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator positions itself as a specialised platform for established African agribusinesses seeking to scale regionally, strengthen climate resilience and deepen impact along agricultural value chains. Organisations and entrepreneurs that meet the eligibility criteria can review full details and submit applications directly through the official channels provided by the organisers.