African Business leader and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu has called on African governments and donors to treat the agricultural sector in Africa as a commercially viable sector with a potential to create millions of jobs and dollars in revenue.
Elumelu is chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.
In a keynote address to agribusiness investors and stakeholders at The Global Food Security Symposium in Washington, DC, Elumelu said agriculture should not be seen as a social welfare program, rather African farmers should be treated as entrepreneurs as governments create the enabling environment for SMEs to access finance.
The symposium held 26 April gathered a host of multi-disciplinary stakeholders in agriculture and food business and presents a platform to discuss transformations in the global food system necessary to feed growing cities.
Elumelu advocated for public and private sector collaboration, recommending the adoption of an Africapitalist approach to achieve the transformation and growth needed to meet the increasing demand for safe and sustainable food. Africapitalism promotes the private sector’s commitment to Africa’s development through long-term investment in strategic sectors of the economy that create economic prosperity and social wealth. (Proshare)
BRICS Bank approves $811 million in funding in clean energy
In what is the first release of funds by the Shanghai-based body, the BRICS bank will lend US$811 million in funding to clean energy projects in India, China, Brazil and South Africa.
The New Development Bank was launched by top emerging economies in 2014.
India’s Canara Bank has received a $250 million loan, $75 million of which is destined to deliver 500 megawatts of renewables, according to Bloomberg.
Brazil’s BNDES national development bank was the largest beneficiary with a $300 million loan, while a Chinese rooftop solar project received $81 million. (Climate Change News)
Applications for the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship accelerator programme now open
The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa, a development project which trains and supports early-stage entrepreneurs, invites entrepreneurs with scalable and sustainable businesses to apply to their Entrepreneur Development Programme for 2016.
The Entrepreneur Development Programme is a three-day accelerated course.
To qualify for the programme applicants must be South African citizens located in the Gauteng province. The programme also requires that all.
