- Wednesday, May 8, 2024
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The British American Tobacco
Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has rewarded six successful agripreneurs who entered
for the 2023 edition of the Farmers For Future (F4F) grant, with the sum of N10
million.
The F4F Grant is an agricultural
entrepreneurship grant designed to support young people with viable
agri-business with equity-free capital and other associated support they require
to scale their businesses.
The over 30,000 applications from
this year’s edition of the F4F program is a testament to the aspirations of
Nigeria's youth in agriculture and the profound impact of the F4F Grant,
commitment to nurturing young agripreneurs and catalyzing transformation.
CEO of Pemnia Wellness, Adebisi
Opeyemi, emerged as the grand prize winner and was awarded the prize of N3
million.
The sum of N2 million each was
awarded to CEO, Felinech Global Company Limited, Edeh Felicitas, and CEO,
Bluefish Farm, Williams Ekwebelam, who were the first runner-up of the
competition.
CEO, Bernice's Farm, Bernice
Oyedele, CEO, Favorite Fishery, Ideede Favour Nukpugi, and CEO, FMD Agro
Concept, Idowu Femi, were the second runner, and were awarded ?1million each.
Alongside financial rewards,
winners will also be able to access comprehensive support including technical
assistance, mentorship from industry professionals, guidance with business
registration, and membership in the esteemed Farmers for the Future alumni network.
This holistic approach nurtures
both agribusiness growth and personal development. And the innovative
Agricultural Entrepreneurship initiative, developed in partnership with the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Fate Foundation, demonstrates BATN
Foundation’s commitment to fostering the growth of young agripreneurs.
The F4F Grant provides
equity-free capital and comprehensive support to promising youth-led
agribusinesses, enabling them to scale their ventures and contribute to
Nigeria's agricultural sector. The grant serves as a catalyst for ambitious
young individuals with viable agribusinesses.
Since its inception in 2019, the
Farmers for the Future (F4F) initiative has been transformative, empowering
enterprising youth to thrive in the agribusiness landscape. F4F stands as a
beacon of opportunity, equipping winners with not only an annual cash grant but
also with technical training and mentoring.
The transformative power of the
F4F initiative has over the years, unfolded in the narrative of success stories
that have flourished. Agribusinesses such as Agrohive, Agrodemy, Sokvikia
Enterprises and Quotidian-V Foods have not only thrived with revenue increase
of over 30 per cent, but have also ignited employment opportunities for young
graduates, and making an impact in society.
Project Manager of BATNF, Mr.
Adetola Oniyelu, said: "The Farmers for the Future project challenges
misconceptions about agriculture and underlines our commitment to nurturing the
potential of young minds in this field.
“We firmly believe that
empowering these talented agripreneurs will significantly advance Nigeria's
agricultural landscape."
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