Nafisa Murtala Ahmad
The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) has unveiled the Cooperative Window Competition, aimed at empowering women in agricultural value chains and transforming livelihoods in Kano State.
At the launch, AECF presented cheques totaling N1 billion to Sagad Farms Limited and N500,000 to Royal Blue Contractors Limited, winners of the first phase of the SME Window Competition
According to Susan Situma, Head of Programs at AECF, “Our aim is to improve the enabling environment and reduce systematic gender inequalities that women entrepreneurs and farmers face.
She explained that , $1.1 million Canadian Dollars equivalent to N1.3 billion have been set aside to give 40 Cooperatives to access resources, agricultural input and other productive assets.
“Each Cooperative should access N30.7 million equivalent to 25,000 Canadian Dollars.
“We launched the first phase of SME Window Competition earlier in 2024, for Private sector and our target is to invest in 17 SME’s for rural and marginalised communities within Kano.
“Our aim is to improve enabling environment and reduced systematic gender inequalities that women entrepreneur and farmers face” She said
Situma noted that the organisation intend to spend 15.7 million Canadian Dollars in other to support 51,000 lives.
AECF Senior Program Officer, Fuad Farouk, pointed out that the organization is looking for 90 Cooperatives through BMO’s and 25 MDA’s to identify eligible contestants.
“The competition process is a demand driven approach, at the end only 40 Cooperatives would be qualified”
The Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), Dr. Faruk Karawa noted that the initiative is timely and crucial for addressing small-scale agriculture, increasing production, and reducing importation.
AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a leading non-profit development organization that supports innovative enterprises in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors with the aim of reducing rural poverty, promoting resilient communities, and creating jobs.