AfriFOODlinks Circular Agribusiness Program

The AfriFOODlinks Mbale Circular Business Program partners with circular agribusinesses or agribusinesses that have the potential to integrate circularity into their business models in Mbale City, providing them with the training, business coaching, capital, and networks they need to grow.

What it takes to qualify for the Program

Innovative agribusinesses that are:

  • Implementing an element of circularity or having high potential and interest in incorporating circularity in their business models.
  • Formally registered with the local authorities in Mbale e.g Trading certificate, etc
  • Are at least 1 year old.
  • Have generated revenue of at least Ugx. 5 million in the last year.
  • Have at least 2 employees.
  • Have operations in Mbale City.
  • Looking to expand and grow.
  • Ambition to improve healthy diets in Mbale City.
  • Priority will be given to businesses that are either:
    • Women-led or owned.
    • Have a majority of women as key decision-makers (board and C-level).
    • Have women as direct or indirect beneficiaries.
    • Have youth as direct or indirect beneficiaries.

How to participate

To join the program, apply through the link below.
Apply Here

Benefits of participating in the program

SHONA Icons_Smallholder farmers have benefitted
Model Refinement

Support to define and refine your circular agribusiness model.

SHONA Icons_Increase in smallholder farmer incomes
Growth Strategy

Support to build a growth strategy for your circular agribusiness

SHONA Icons_Million in investment--Million in investment
Growth Grants

Competitive business growth grants of approximately Ugx 15 million for top circular agribusinesses to pilot their circular agribusiness model, expand their circular agribusiness model, and implement their circular agribusiness growth strategy.

SHONA Icons_Jobs created
Strategy Implementation

Support the implementation of your growth strategy for your circular agribusiness over 9 months.

SHONA Icons_Million in taxes to East Africa’s economies
Capital Support

Support to raise additional capital to grow your circular agribusiness.

SHONA Icons_Positively interacting with businesses
Global Network

Being part of a network of other circular agribusinesses in Mbale, Cape Town, Kisumu, Ouagadougou and Tunis.

How is the Program structured?

Phase One
Defining or refining your circular agribusiness model.
Phase Two
Building a Growth Strategy for your Circular Agribusiness.
Phase Three
Ongoing support (which includes grants and ongoing business coaching) to implement your circular agribusiness growth strategy.

FAQs

A circular agribusiness is any business along the agricultural value chain that minimises production inputs (water, seeds, fertiliser, labour, and more) and waste (agricultural waste) while maximising the nutritional and socio-economic value of its operations. These businesses use and waste as little as possible while saving money and improving the environment. 

 

Circular Agribusinesses:

  • MINIMISE
    • Non-renewable resource inputs in production.
    • The number of players between producers and consumers.
    • Unsustainable transport in distribution.
    • Food loss and waste.
  • MAXIMISE
    • The nutritional value of food consumed.
    • The redistribution of unconsumed food.
    • Nutrient recovery and reintroduction in production.

 

Traditional agribusinesses can be supported to incorporate circularity into their models. This Program is designed to:

  • Support early-stage circular agribusinesses to grow.
  • Support traditional agribusinesses to incorporate circularity into their business models and grow.

 

Examples of circular agribusinesses include those that are:

  • Implementing practices that increase the nutritional value of food consumed. 
  • Promoting shorter food supply chains, between producers and suppliers.
  • Practising agroecology. 
  • Reducing waste by selling or reusing it back into the production process. 
  • Reducing waste by using products that are biodegradable and can be broken down by living organisms, for example, biodegradable containers.
  • Implementing efficient resource management to minimise waste in production processes.
  • Promoting or embracing the hire of equipment instead of ownership (e.g., machinery, storage facilities, transportation, etc).
  • Embracing clean energy practices.
  • Embracing efficient use of energy, water and other inputs.
  • Processing organic waste into compost, animal feed or energy.
  • Implementing systems that recover materials from discarded products for further use. 
  • Embracing the use of organic or environmentally friendly inputs. 
  • Embracing output and input exchange with other food businesses in Mbale.

In today’s world, the vast majority of businesses and economies are linear. Linear economies follow a ‘take,

make, waste’ model. This means that resources are:

  • extracted from the environment (take)
  • used as inputs for infrastructure, buildings, and production (make) 
  • then discarded after their use period (waste).

 

Circularity encourages an economic system where the value and use of infrastructure, products, components, materials and nutrients are maintained for as long as possible. In a circular system, existing materials are repeatedly cycled instead of becoming waste and resource extraction is also minimised.

How to participate

To join the program, apply through the link below.
Apply Here

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