๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ: ๐ฏ๐ฌth ๐ข๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
The African Forest and Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) is a country-led effort to restore 100 million hectares of degraded forests and forest landscapes in Africa by 2030. This Initiative was launched in December 2015 during the Global Landscapes Forum at the COP21 in Paris by representatives of participating African countries and a wide range of financial and technical partners (including the AUDA-NEPAD, BMZ and WRI). The AFR100 initiative contributes to the Bonn Challenge, the African Resilient Landscapes Initiative (ARLI), the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The AUDA-NEPAD Land Accelerator Africa seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative solutions that promote sustainable land management practices and contribute to broader environmental and socioeconomic goals in the region. It has several key objectives centered around combating land degradation, promoting biodiversity & sustainability, and fostering economic growth through entrepreneurship in forest land restoration. ย The main objectives include:
- Restoration of Degraded Land: To directly address the issue of land degradation in Africa by supporting projects and businesses that aim to restore and rehabilitate degraded land areas, enhancing biodiversity, and improving soil health.
- Empowerment of Entrepreneurs: To empower and equip entrepreneurs with the necessary skills, knowledge, and networks to launch and scale successful land restoration and sustainable agriculture businesses.
- Promotion of Sustainable Practices & Biodiversity: To promote forest landscape management practices that can be replicated and scaled, contributing to environmental conservation and resilience against climate change.
- Economic Development: To stimulate economic development in rural and affected areas by creating jobs, enhancing food security, and opening new markets and opportunities through restoration activities.
- Community Engagement and Education: To engage local communities and stakeholders in restoration efforts, ensuring that projects are community-driven and that there is a transfer of knowledge regarding sustainable practices.
Benefits
- Training & Mentorship: Three months of weekly sessions plus a week-long intensive workshop and Impact Day with investors.
- Innovation Grants: The Top 100 land-restoration entrepreneurs will each receive USD 5,000 to support women and youth-led ventures.
- Impact: Alumni from 34 countries have already created over 9,000 jobs, worked with
- 249,000+ farmers, and restored more than 201,000 hectares of land.
- Alignment: Contributes to the Bonn Challenge, AU Agenda 2063, and the UN SDGs.
ย ย ย ย Eligibility
Eligibility criteria is the first pass of screening. The application must answer Yes or No to these questions:
i.ย ย ย ย ย ย Does the project rely on market forces (clients, customers, sales)? I.e. is the project a business?
ii.ย ย ย ย Is it being enacted in the relevant geography?
iii.ย ย ย Is the project bringing a positive effect to the land?
iv.ย ย ย Is the project further along than just an idea?
Selection criteria
The five factors below are identified in analyzing the design of the business model. These criteria are deciding factors in if the business fits within the Land Accelerator Africa target market of entrepreneurs.
Four distinguishing criteria
Once companies are deemed to have fit the five criteria above, these three following distinguishing criteria are considered by the judges and represent a more concrete analysis of where the venture team is TODAY. By considering these three criteria the judges will determine if both the environment and the entrepreneur would benefit from participation in the Land Accelerator Africa Africa.
i.ย ย ย ย ย ย Quality and Competence of Startup Team (Founder/Co-founder): Does the team understand their business model? Do they seem capable of achieving their vision? Do they have experience? Will the team find value in participating with the Land Accelerator Africa? Team members will be more thoroughly evaluated during the virtual interviews with semi-finalists.
ii.ย ย ย ย Uniqueness and Innovation of Prototype/Product/Service/Business Model: Is there anything unique about their offering?
iii.ย ย ย Traction: What has the company already achieved? Indicators may include revenue, number of customers, number of retail outlets they are in, hectares restored, number of smallholder farmers engaged, and other indicators as identified by the startup and analyzed by the judging panel.
iv.ย ย ย Special Criteria: To source diversity of founders, sectors and geographies, the selection committee is recognizing these additional criteria:
a.ย ย ย ย Women/ Youth -Run companies (50% if possible)
b.ย ย ย ย At least 2 Cooperatives
c.ย ย ย ย Geographic Diversity: Sates representation, at least 5 from each state.
d.ย ย ย ย Sectoral Diversity – to ensure the cohort is composed of companies from diverse sectoral verticals, the team will limit to three the total number of invited companies that are in the same exact vertical. Example: Three smart-irrigation apps, maximum.
For more information and application.