Farmers for the Future Programme
The Farmers for the Future (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 may require to scale their businesses.
The project is an initiative developed and sponsored by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in partnership with NYSC and implemented by FATE Foundation. It is targeted at currently serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members – as part of BATNF’s drive to encourage and support the youth in sustainable agriculture.
You will also be required to upload the relevant document indicated below:
NYSC Identification card
Additional Post Programme Benefits:
Business Support
Mentoring
Access to Free Business Support Tools & Applications
Funding and Market Linkages
Grant
Curriculum Overview
The programme is a virtual programme focused on capacity building on essential knowledge, strategies, skills, and tools to build sustainable businesses within the Agribusiness value chain. These sessions will be facilitated by various industry leaders and professionals across the Agribusiness and entrepreneurship ecosystem using a pedagogy approach to build networks amongst the entrepreneurs and encourage group/team work for better learning. The robust learning structure is a combination of virtual interactive class sessions, workshops, case studies, plenary sessions and group activities.
The Farmers for the Future curriculum has been designed to provide insight and relevant knowledge to aspiring and budding entrepreneurs within the Agribusiness value chain to see diverse market potentials and understand how to create a structured business model to strategically grow their business.
The Curriculum is intensive and includes:
- Entrepreneurship Mindset
- Design thinking/innovation/problem solving
- Developing Business Plan
- Business Model Canvass
- Product Development Strategy
- Marketing/Digital Marketing Strategy
- Managing Business Operations
- Financial Literacy
- Business pitch skills
Application Deadlines:
Farmers for the Future timeline
Cohort 4.0: 15 August 2023 – 30 August 2023
Stage I: Interested applicants must complete the application form here and upload the following document:
- NYSC ID Card
Stage II: Following a review of all received applications, 50 candidates will be shortlisted for a 10-20 minutes phone/video interview after which 20 applicants will be shortlisted for the programme.
Through the support of British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, the programme is FREE to all entrepreneurs who successfully scale through the two application stages. This scholarship support from British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation covers all direct course fees including course materials, data support and post programme support.
This is a virtual training and it is expected that each entrepreneur enrolled for the programme must be Corp members in the Agribusiness space with less than 3 months to conclude their service year. This will also be verified during the shortlisting/selection process.
Additional Post Programme Benefits:
- Business Advisory Support from FATE Foundation
- Group mentoring from FATE Foundation
- Access to Free Business Support Tools & Application
- Funding and Market Linkages
- Grant
Who Can Apply?
-To be eligible, you must be:
-A Corp member
-Computer Literate
-Have Access to Zoom, a Phone, Laptop or Data Enabled Device
-Business must be within the Agribusiness value chain
Target sectors are:
- Farming
- Animal Husbandry
- Fish farming
- Consultancy
– Agritech
– Retailing
– Processing and Manufacturing
– In the idea or early/startup stage of the business
– Corp members who have graduated from an Accredited Tertiary Level Institution
– Must be able to participate all through the required programme duration.
When Can I Apply?
Applications will be open from February 18, 2022 for the 3.0 cohort. We recommend applicants to register 1 week before the programme deadline date as that is when shortlisting and interviews commence.
How many entrepreneurs are you selecting?
20 Corp members/entrepreneurs will be selected for the programme.
Is there a fee to participate?
There is no Fee. The programme is free as all selected entrepreneur will be on a Scholarship that has been provided by BATN Foundation.
How do I know if my application has been successful?
Only applicants shortlisted to the second stage will be contacted. If your application is successful, you will be contacted for the next stage.
Can I make changes to my application after I have submitted or do I do a Fresh Application Instead?
No. You cannot make changes after your application has been summited. Once you have submitted, it becomes final and you will not be able edit the application. Also, multiple entries will be disqualified. So we encourage you to verify your application carefully before submitting.
What is the time involvement expected for participants?
This cohort will run for a period of One (1) year and with an average of 3 days of involvement per week.
Where do I send my document to?
After the first stage, a mail with a link will be sent to you immediately which you will click on to fill the form and upload your NYSC ID card. You are advised to check your inbox, spam or junk mail to access it.
What if my business is not yet registered with the C.A.C, can I still apply?
Yes. You can still apply for the programme as long as you meetall theother requirements.
Can a member of my team replace me in the programme?
No. Only the business owner/founder/co-founder is allowed to participate in the programme.
Where Should I Send any Enquiries?
Email [email protected]. Also follow @fatefoundation on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date.
