Supporting the design of investment strategy for youths in Africa with positive planet impact

A philantrophic organization engaged Ag-Connectors to support its agricultural and gender teams and facilitate its new  strategy development.  With Uganda as a focus country, Ag-Connectors also provided a landscape and scoping study. The objectives were to act as a thought partner in developing the Organization’s investment, conduct a thorough “landscape”of a country as an example and scope potential investment opportunities for the youths in Africa with positive planet impact.  

Ag-Connectors’s research and analysis helped inform and refine  the strategy and suggested ideas for future interventions in particular on (i) Sustainable livelihoods through farming & agribusiness (ii) Empowering young farmers and agri-entrepreneurs; and (iii) Food systems aligned to circular economies.  Ag-Connectors research, assesments and scoping study also provided a “reality check” for its draft strategy and proposed youth target group. 

The methodology used included desk reviews; interviews with stakeholders and focus group discussions. The team employed problem-solution trees; pairwise ranking for prioritizing gaps, an analysis of challenges, and a review of investment opportunities.  A matrix for identifying potential partners was also prepared.

The landscape and scoping study established that the strategy could work in the identified country. A preliminary impact statement, based on the Organisation’s theory of change ,was created. The landscaping showed that existing policies and programs in the country were potentially aligned with the draft strategy. The scoping excercise identified several investment and other opportunities derived from existing local project innovations. Such innovations could be employed in a Country Framework. For example: young agri-entrepreneurs (i) focused on circular value chains; (ii) employing regeneratieve agriculture; (iii) providing needed services in food value chains, and (iv) stimulating existing networks to enhance the voice of young farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. The study also provided a framework for establishing a sub-granting mechanism focused on young farmers and agri-entrepreneurs and condensing value chains.