March 26, 2026, | Nairobi, Kenya — Twenty agribusinesses have been selected to join the Home-Grown Solutions Agribusiness Accelerator (HGSA-A), an initiative supporting companies to scale their locally driven innovations addressing the continent’s urgent agricultural challenges.
The participating companies will gain context-specific advisory services, investment readiness and fundraising guidance, cross-border trade facilitation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), connections to strategic partners, expert mentorship, and post-acceleration support (including possibility for funding) thus—enhancing their competitiveness and unlocking regional trade opportunities to strengthen intra-African commerce.
Through participation in HGSA-A, the companies are expected to deliver measurable impact by creating more jobs and extending their reach to smallholder farmers. By transforming local innovations into scalable solutions, HGSA-A drives resilience, prosperity, and sustainable development across Africa.
The HGSA-A Pilot Cohort brings together twenty growth-stage agribusinesses from nine COMESA countries, selected for their potential to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, enhance value addition, and expand market access — while advancing climate-smart practices and the participation of women- and youth-led enterprises across African food systems.
In Zambia, three companies are represented: Stewards Globe Limited/Afriseed, which produces climate-resilient seeds for over 150,000 smallholder farmers; Kagezi Seed Company, which develops drought-tolerant seed varieties; and Forest Africa Zambia Limited, which processes indigenous fruits into beverages and jams through a zero-waste model.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Berakah transforms fruits, vegetables, cereals and spices using solar-powered processing; Le Grenier du Kivu strengthens horticulture value chains while promoting women and youth participation; Majirane Coffee exports organic Arabica coffee with a focus on women’s economic empowerment; and AGRIMOD advances the maize value chain through digital tools.
Kenya’s four selected companies span agri-processing and clean energy: Nyota Limited processes indigenous foods into frozen and shelf-stable products; BioAfriq Energy develops solar drying hubs for smallholder farmers; Kirima Fresh Dairies produces milk, cheese and yogurt; and Wedgehut Foods sources and processes fresh potatoes for institutional markets.
In Uganda, Equator Seeds operates integrated seed-to-export coffee systems, while Drought Guard Africa delivers solar-powered irrigation solutions impacting over 120,000 smallholder farmers. In Somalia, Greenlife Agribusiness supports livestock farmers through solar-powered irrigation and fodder systems.
The cohort is rounded out by companies from four further COMESA member states: in Malawi, Mtengo Wakumunda Enterprise produces fortified porridge for school feeding programmes; in Zimbabwe, Hekhani Seeds supplies improved seed varieties to smallholder farmers; in Tunisia, Tazart processes high-quality dates for regional and export markets; in Burundi, CEAP produces porridge flour and animal feeds; and in Madagascar, NATIORA GREEN manufactures organic fertilisers from bat guano.
HGSA-A is commissioned by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), supported by the New Zealand Government (MFAT), and delivered through E4Impact Africa Foundation in partnership with the FIE-Consult Consortium.
HGSA-A Website: https://auda-nepad.e4impactkenya.org
Program Partners:
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
