FAO unveils food systems incubation programme
Boosting Africa’s next-gen agrifood leaders for sustainability and jobs
MOSA MAOENG
MASERU – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched the HASTEN incubation programme, a significant initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs building sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems across Africa.
Operating initially in Lesotho, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone under FAO’s Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) mechanism, HASTEN – Harnessing SDG-based agrifood System Transformation through the Empowerment of the Next Generation – targets young agrifood innovators.
Its core mission is threefold, to develop capacity in trans-disciplinary systems thinking to understand SDG interlinkages, strengthen public-private-academic partnerships for inclusive governance and to scale eco-inclusive business models that contribute directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and generate employment.
The programme places a strong emphasis on supporting youth and women-led startups and SMEs that are eco-inclusive and green. Eligible enterprises must have been operational for one to three years and demonstrate high potential to make agrifood systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.
Ultimately, HASTEN seeks to contribute to FAO’s ‘Four Betters’: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.
Led by the FAO Office on SDGs with technical support from SEED, HASTEN specifically seeks SMEs and startups legally registered in Lesotho, Rwanda, or Sierra Leone, led by entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, and demonstrating a clear contribution to sustainable agrifood transformation.
Monongoaha Pelei, a Plant and Crops Consultant, highlighted the transformative potential of programmes like HASTEN: “The impact of such incubation, which often includes vital funding, is multifaceted,” Pelei stated.
“Firstly, it reduces unemployment as businesses expand and hire more workers. Secondly, it directly tackles poverty and hunger – core SDGs – by creating jobs for breadwinners, improving household food security through salaries, and boosting overall production.”
Pelei elaborated on how funding enables critical investments: “Many small farms struggle to afford quality inputs. This support allows them to purchase high-quality, reliable, and often climate-resilient seeds, proper machinery, and crucially, efficient irrigation systems. Plants need consistent moisture, alongside fertilizers and nutrition, to thrive. Reliable irrigation significantly boosts both the quality and quantity of yields.”
He also emphasized market access: “Increased production means farmers can reach more clients. Furthermore, producing sustainably makes their products more attractive, further expanding their customer base.”
Pelei concluded by linking the initiative to climate resilience, pointing out that “funding empowers farmers to research farm improvements and gain knowledge on best practices, planting times, and risk management. Crucially, in the face of climate change, strategies like constructing greenhouses – mitigating risks from hailstorms or extreme heat – become viable, safeguarding production.”
The HASTEN programme represents a strategic investment in Africa’s agrifood future. By empowering young entrepreneurs, particularly women, with the skills, networks, and support needed to scale eco-inclusive businesses, the FAO aims to catalyze a wave of innovation driving sustainable development, job creation, and climate resilience across the continent.
