Twenty young Africans whose enterprises offer innovative solutions that foster climate change adaptation and resilience have each received $100,000 awards for winning the 2022-2023 African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (#YouthAdapt Challenge).听
When we save Africa, we save the world; when we save the world, we save it for the youth of today and tomorrow.
Gislaine Matiedje Nkenmayi, from Cameroon, was one of 10 young Africans who won the #YouthAdapt Challenge award in 2021.听
Ms. Nkenmayi manages Muminta Holdings -听听an agro-processing company based in Buea, Southwest region of Cameroon. The company is involved in tackling the short life cycle in the vegetable value chain.听
鈥淭he $100,000 we received enabled us to engage with more farmers, from 357 to now more than 700 smallholder farmers, mostly women. The farmers themselves are employing more people,鈥� says Ms. Nkenmayi.
鈥淲e got into this business because we realised that women vegetable farmers were experiencing heavy post-harvest losses, sometimes up to 90%, because of a lack of storage facilities. They were also facing and vegetable dehydration because of drought caused by climate change.
They have now established 10 low-cost greenhouses through farmers鈥� cooperatives to ensure the farmers can cultivate all year round.听
鈥淎nd we have solar-powered irrigation systems to help pump water from water tanks or boreholes to the greenhouses.
They听听also provide post-harvest technique training to the farmers and link them to new markets. As a result, the organisation has shortened the time between production and demand.
鈥淢ore women are now getting involved. We have increased agricultural productivity, empowered more women and boosted climate adaptation,鈥� says Ms. Nkenmayi.
Selected from 3,000 entries, the 20 winners will also receive mentorship and coaching.
The awards ceremony took place on 10 November at COP27 in听Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The听听20 winners participated via video link.
The lowest bar is for Africa to feed itself; the high bar is for Africa to feed the world.
The #YouthAdapt Challenge is jointly organized by the听African Development Bank听(AfDB), the听Global Centre on Adaptation听(GCA) and the UN听Climate Investment Funds听(CIF) to 鈥渂oost sustainable job creation through support for entrepreneurship and youth-led innovation in climate change adaptation and resilience across Africa,鈥� according to the AfDB.
The President of听AfDB Akinwumi Adesina听praised the winners, half of whom are women, for providing innovative solutions to climate adaptation and resilience in agriculture, infrastructure, waste management, and other sectors.
African youth should be the 鈥淰uvuzelas[loud horns] for Africa on climate,鈥� he said.听
鈥淲hen we save Africa, we save the world; when we save the world, we save it for the youth of today and tomorrow,鈥� Mr. Adesina maintained. 鈥淭he lowest bar is for Africa to feed itself; the high bar is for Africa to feed the world.鈥�
Patrick Verkooijen,听the CEO of the executive board of GCA, spoke about听听the 鈥渞eal climate tragedy unfolding in Africa.鈥� He said it was important for the global north to support the continent, insisting that, 鈥淭he impact of climate change in Africa will not stay in Africa; it will travel the globe鈥�
Norway鈥檚 Minister of International Development,听Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, lauded young African entrepreneurs for proffering tailor-made climate solutions on the ground. 鈥淎daptation comes from necessity, but it also provides opportunities for entrepreneurship and jobs,鈥� she said.
One of this year鈥檚 award recipients,听Rwanda鈥檚 Yvette Ishimwe, described the award as 鈥渁 life-changing opportunity. It will enable us [her business] to provide more drinking water for people and to create more jobs.鈥�
Ms. Ishimwe鈥檚 company, Iriba Water Group, offers an adaptation solution for floods. It collects rainwater from roofs, purifies and then distributes it to women in her country.
The inaugural #YouthAdapt Challenge awards ceremony was held last year at COP26 in Glasgow, benefiting 10 young entrepreneurs in micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
