Ongoing RECAP Projects

RUFORUM Entrepreneurship Challenge Program (RECAP)

Empowering Kenyan youth through Agrienterprise Incubation for Improved Livelihoods and Economic Development (AGLEAD)

Project Summary
The African continent is known for a growing youth population. This has led to a high youth unemployment rate. To compound this problem, many African countries have an education system that is theoretical based with graduates even those from universities being churned out for employment instead of creating jobs for self employment as well as employment of others. To address this challenge, global and local strategic initiatives have been initiated including the Sustainable Development Goals, Africa Agenda 2030 and the African Development Banks’ Feed Africa strategy. Moreover, The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture has established the Youth Agripreneur Programme and from this the African Development Bank has initiated the ENABLE Youth programme. Developing youth agribusinesses to enhance development of small scale and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are critical in employment  reation is in line with African leaders’ vision of a socially inclusive and sustainably development of Africa as given in Agenda 2063 of the African Union, the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2024 as well as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). Read More

Bukavu Agribusiness Incubation Center (BAIC)

Project Summary
Youth unemployment is a serious threat to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s socio-economic development. The actual scale of underemployment and unemployment among youth is estimated to be 70 percent. Considering the enormous DRC’s agricultural potential, agribusiness is a promising alternate route to employment and should be promoted. This project aims at creating the Bukavu agribusiness incubation center (BAIC) at the Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), in South-Kivu province, DRC. It is offering a favorable environment for interaction, new initiative creation and mutual support. It will span two years, with a total cost of US$50000 financed by RUFORUM. The center will enable the  trengthening of the technical capabilities and managerial skills of students in the field of entrepreneurship,guide the students in the development and implementation of innovative agribusiness initiatives, and facilitate the linkage between student entrepreneurs and public and private sectors. It will, furthermore, promote a strong connection between students
and financial providers. This will allow the establishment of 10 companies of minimum 5 students and therefore contribute to job creation and youth unemployment reduction while triggering socio-economic development. The overall objective of this project is to contribute to unemployment reduction through youth entrepreneurship promotion. Read More

Agribusiness Innovations for Inclusive Soybean and Honey Value Chain Development in Eastern Uganda

Project Summary
This project proposes a value chain development pathway for soy beans and honey in the Agribusiness Hub. The project will integrate innovations in food science and technology, product development, ICT and Agribusiness. Young entrepreneurs are to be developed at the Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Science and at the Technology and Business Innovations and Incubation Center (TBIIC) of Busitema University. The objectives of the two year project will be to establish an innovation hub in Eastern Uganda, train and mentor young entrepreneurs, develop and commercialize new products in the University Business Innovation and Incubation Center (TBIIC) in collaboration with the private sector, increase community capacity to respond to demand driven and economically viable production and integrate ICT in Agribusiness Development. Read More

Youth business incubation hub at Bishop Stuart University for Innovative and diversified employment opportunities for young graduates

Project Summary
This project contributes to the efforts of global development interventions to achieve the goals for sustainable development through promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. In this way, effort is geared towards ending poverty in all its forms everywhere, as spelt out in the SDGs. The project also addresses the concern of African Union (AU)/New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) of creating an environment that is conducive to young people’s employment and development. With young people finding productive employment in agriculture, the project will contribute to the aspirations of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) to boost agricultural productivity and food security on the continent. In Uganda, the project is in line with the second National Development Plan (NDPII) that puts emphasis on skills development for young people leaving formal education including tertiary institutions. Read More

Enhancing the student enterprise training (SES) at Gulu University
Project Summary
Paradigm shifts in higher education have necessitated embracing and mainstreaming entrepreneurship education in training curricula. This is because entrepreneurial capacity building amongst the youth is considered the best approach for addressing unemployment, rural poverty and creation of responsible citizens. Entrepreneurship education training has been reported to increase the chances for youth to start-up new business enterprises, gain confidence and as such enhance their employability. However, one of the predominant criticisms of the nature of entrepreneurship education in African universities is due to the fact that it has been largely theoretical, hardly providing the much needed hands-on practice and experience to the learners. Consequently, there have been calls for entrepreneurship training models that inculcate practical orientations. In light of this concern, the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment (FAE), Gulu University developed the Student Enterprise Scheme (SES) as an innovative approach to training future agricultural professionals. This is an innovative, practical approach to agri-entrepreneurship training in which students develops, analyse, justify, and implement innovative agribusiness ideas. Experience gained from this process is then shared with fellow students and the wider community. Read More

Venture Hub project

Project Summary
Given the market potential for agribusiness innovations world over, there is high need for quality agricultural seed supply on the market and increasing need for value added agricultural products. These innovations provide a unique opportunity to put products on the market through collective effort to meet the demand both at local and regional markets. For example, where commercial companies and civil society organizations started way back to grow and supply export markets with organic products especially to the EU markets. Since the year 2000, supply and need for organic agriculture subsector has reached to a substantial level. The Uganda position in organic production provides is a unique opportunity to Uganda and for students to create innovative agribusiness ideas and products through participating in processing of novel products for regional and national markets for increased income and job creation. Therefore, V- Hub (venture) project supported by mastercard foundation through RUFORUM is to establish incubation centres on seed, local chicken packaging and coffee roasting as innovative agribusiness ideas to build a model incubation centre in Kitatalo-Tirinyi Village Kibuku District and Gulama village, Goma Division Mukono District as training grounds for university students. Also support four groups of intern students’ enterprises from agriculture department at Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mukono. The intern students will work on their ideas in areas of value addition and packing of Jam, and Mango juice, Sweet sugar less porridge flour and Avocado salads to scale out ideas of the students’ enterprises will be based on competition. 
The products from the project
                          
  Aromama Coffee                                              Darage Nutrititve Porridge                                Aromama Pork                                              Aromama Rice

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Building the capacities of agricultural students in entrepreneurship and leadership to improve their professional insertion

Project Summary
This project entitled “Building the capacities of agricultural students in entrepreneurship and leadership to improve their professional insertion” aims at supporting selected 100 young students in the last academic year from the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of Abomey-Calavi (FSA/UAC) to implement their agro processing business ideas through training, coaching, mentoring and monitoring by the University of Abomey-Calavi Foundation. This is a way to spread entrepreneurship and self-employment culture within young agronomic community of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of Abomey-Calavi. The project is implemented by three institutions, namely the University of Abomey-Calavi Foundation, the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences and the African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN) during a time period of two years within the framework set up  by the Business Incubators Program called “UAC Startup Valley”. After two years, they must transform their business ideas into successful agribusiness enterprises. Through this project, University of Abomey-Calavi will integrate entrepreneurship education in curricula, transform the results of academic agronomic research into marketable products and reduce the rate of the unemployment in Benin. Read More

Establishing an Agribusiness Incubation Hub at Muni University
Project Summary
The project will establish an agribusiness innovation hub (AIH) at Muni University that will support the development of agricultural enterprises through entrepreneurial skills training for students and staff. The AIH will contribute to job creation, value-addition, development of new technologies, increased returns on agribusiness investment, providing access to markets, including affordable farm inputs and services, and provide linkage among academia, government, community, and industry through collaboration and capacity building initiatives. Moreover, it will provide opportunities for Muni University to harness ideas within the community, encourage research, and be a major contributor to agribusiness and employment in the West Nile region in particular, and Uganda in general. Read more

Establishment of Agro-processing Business Incubation Centre under the Faculty of Consumer Sciences, University of Eswatini
Project Summary
The Kingdom of Eswatini faces a major youth employment challenge, as evidenced by one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Africa and widespread youth idleness which exceeds 50%. Less than 25% of students who undergo tertiary training do get involved in entrepreneurship indicating the need for more work to be done in inculcating entrepreneurship culture and providing assistance. The Department of Food and Nutrition Sciences under the Faculty of Consumer Sciences in collaboration with Department of Animal Sciences in the Faculty of Agriculture, private sector and government organisations propose the establishment of Agro-processing Business Incubation Centre for nationally prioritized value chains (fruit and vegetable and dairy). The services will include technical and business skill trainings, mentorship and coaching; facilitate access to finance and professional networking among others. Moreover, the Agro-processing business incubation centre will provide a platform where public and private resources would be pulled to meet the needs of small businesses during their critical stages of development. The proposed Agro-processing business incubation centre will also be integrated with the training programmes of the University contributing to institutional strengthening. Read more

Youth ICT Linked Agribusiness Incubation Hub at South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) for Innovative Employment Opportunities for Young Graduates
Project Summary
Youth unemployment in Kenya is estimated at a high of 35 percent, with a recent UNDP study estimating that 80% of the currently 2 – 3 million unemployed are young people between 15 – 34 years. In Kenya, youth unemployment is a challenge to economic growth and job creation. Agriculture sector remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy directly contributing 33 per cent of the annual GDP and another 27 percent indirect contribution (GOK, 2019). The sector also accounts for 65 per cent of Kenya’s total exports and provides more than 18 per cent of formal employment. The sector is, therefore, critical in creating employment and uplifting the living standards of the Kenyan people. The sector is guided by its recent Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS) which is the overall national policy document for the agricultural sector ministries and all stakeholders in Kenya. Read More

 

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Our Contacts

The MasterCardfdn@RUFORUM 
Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture(RUFORUM)
Plot 151/155 Garden Hill,

Makerere University Main Campus,
P.O Box 16811 Wandegeya
Kampala,Uganda
+256-417-713-300
Email:
a.egeru@ruforum.org / mcf@ruforum.org

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