The United Nations Development Programme UNDP, has unveiled an agro-challenge programme to enhance the rapid growth of Nigerian agricultural sector. The UNDP said the programme was aimed at developing AgriTech startups, AgriBusiness Entrepreneurs, Engineers, Innovators and solution enthusiasts across the country. The UNDP, which made this known on its website, said that it would carry out the programme, which is called Agro-Hack, in collaboration with First City Monument Bank, FCMB. It explained that the programme, tagged; “Agro-Hack Challenge and Summit 2022,” would seek innovative ideas across the value chain of the country’s agriculture industry.
The UN agency said: “The aim of the programme is to create opportunities for young Nigerians to enhance rapid growth in the agricultural sector and provide jobs. The AgriBusiness and AgriTech challenge aims to crowdsource innovative solutions to challenges that are faced across the Agricultural ecosystem, in Benue State particularly, and Nigeria at large. These challenges, mainly in the agricultural value chain, cut across many sub-sectors, such as the production of fertilisers, irrigation, greenhouses, vertical farming and many more.” The UNDP further explained that the other challenges included processing, storage, agricultural finance, agricultural commerce supply chain, among others.
It said that the programme would provide agricultural value chain players in Benue State, particularly, and by extension, Nigeria, with the resources to grow and scale up their agri-businesses. According to the UNDP, the programme will also provide entrepreneurship coaching and mentorship, incubation, startup ideas, validation and access to local and international markets. It added that other benefits included access to digital tools and infrastructure, grant funding and follow-on investments. NAN
