Agri-Food Development Program 2025 for African Agri-Startups

The Africa Agri-Food Development Programme (AADP) is Ireland’s flagship initiative supporting the role of the private sector in sustainable food systems development.

It acts as a catalyst to enable Irish and African businesses to explore and seize exciting opportunities to bring their expertise to Africa – to develop new markets and to contribute to strengthening mutual trade between Ireland and Africa.

Through matched grant funding the programme offers Irish and African agri-businesses of all sizes an invaluable opportunity to develop and harness the potential from innovative partnerships with companies in sub-Saharan African countries.

Businesses that can Apply

All applicants must be agri-food businesses that have been registered/incorporated in Ireland or one of the 19 eligible African countries, for at least 24 months prior to submitting their AADP application.

• Micro enterprises- SMEs
• Companies – Sole traders
• Cooperatives -Farming groups
• Partnerships- Social enterprises
• Registered commercial farming networks – Any other structure

Eligible African Countries

The following African can apply:

• Botswana
• Cóte d’Ivoire
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Rwanda
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Proposal Requirements

Your application must have the following:

• Be commercial in nature
• Be implemented in one or more of the 19 eligible African countries
• Demonstrate how they will contribute strongly to the sustainable development of the food system, including alignment wherever possible with priority areas of Ireland’s international development policy, A Better World, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, within the African country or countries chosen
• Explain clearly why public funds are essential to finance the initiative, including to leverage or access other sources of finance in future
• Show why the applicant or applicants are well suited to deliver on the proposed project, with reference to their experience, knowledge and skills, and how these relate to the project objectives, activities and deliverables
• Demonstrate that all applicants have appropriate governance, financial management and fraud prevention systems in place
• Demonstrate how the project intends to share, develop and/or leverage mutual expertise between Ireland and Africa in the specific project area
• Indicate how the project intends to generate or strengthen mutual trade between Ireland and Africa

Supporting documentation

All applications must be accompanied by supporting documentation, including:

• An Irish Tax Clearance Certificate – which all applicants, including African applicants, must apply for and receive from the Irish Revenue Commissioners for inclusion with their application
• a project budget with breakdown of spending, funding source, activities and equipment
• a project implementation with calendar of main steps and activities required to deliver the project objectives
• a plan for collaboration over the timeline of the project.

Application Deadline: 15 August, 2025

Apply now for African Agri-Food Development Program

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