
Webinar recap – held 19 June 2025, 14:00–16:00 CAT (Zoom)
On 19 June 2025, Tanzanian poultry trailblazer Elizabeth Christopher Swai, founder & CEO of AKM Glitters Company Ltd., headlined a FANRPAN–AGRA webinar, sharing concrete strategies for building resilient, inclusive agribusinesses. The session combined a keynote on her growth journey with a 60-minute moderated dialogue, where young participants pressed for practical guidance on scaling, finance, markets, and operational discipline.
What participants took away
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Inclusive, youth- and women-centred models are not charity—they’re competitive strategy, expanding supply, market reach, and loyalty.
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Cost control and integration matter: owning key nodes (chicks, feed, services) can stabilise margins and quality.
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Finance is a sequence, not a moment: start with unit economics, de-risk through partnerships, then approach lenders/investors.
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Trade readiness requires standards, documentation, and consistent volumes—plan for compliance early.
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Mentorship and peer networks accelerate learning curves and reduce avoidable failure.
Ecosystem briefing
Dr. Mwaka Namukonda (Executive Coordinator, CAYACC) mapped concrete tools, platforms, and funding windows available to youth agripreneurs, emphasising disciplined proposal design, pipeline readiness, and coalition-building.