By Abbas Nazil
The African Development Bank has signed an $850,000 grant agreement with Invest in Africa, a non-profit organization, to support the MicroGREEN project, which aims to create livelihood opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable groups in Ghana and Senegal.
The initiative, formally titled Strengthening Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities’ Micro-Entrepreneurship for Green Jobs in Natural Resources, targets the agroforestry, fisheries, and biodiversity conservation sectors.
It seeks to generate up to 500 green jobs over two years, with funding coming from the Bank’s Fund for African Private Sector Assistance, alongside an earlier $1 million grant from the Bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
The sectors selected hold significant potential for climate-resilient employment and require skilled workers capable of managing ecosystems and deploying environmentally friendly technologies.
Despite this potential, women and youth remain underrepresented in Africa’s sustainable growth industries, and increasing their participation could accelerate inclusive and resilient economic growth across the continent.
The grant will finance the Capacity Development and Value Chain Enhancement component of the MicroGREEN project.
Many small and medium enterprises in fragile economies such as Ghana and Senegal face barriers to accessing entrepreneurship training and business development services.
These obstacles are even more pronounced for women- and youth-led enterprises, which often encounter high service costs and systemic socio-economic and gender-based constraints.
To address these issues, the MicroGREEN project will provide high-quality entrepreneurship training, tailored business development support, and mentorship programs for women, youth, and people with disabilities working in agriculture-linked sectors.
By enhancing skills and integrating micro enterprises into green value chains, the project aims to stimulate local job creation and promote fair participation in Africa’s growing green economy.
Invest in Africa will implement the project.
The organization focuses on supporting African small and medium enterprises by improving their market access, developing skills, and expanding access to finance.
The Fund for African Private Sector Assistance is a multi-donor trust fund that backs technical assistance and capacity-building projects aligned with the African Development Bank’s Private Sector Development Strategy.
Japan is its main donor, and since inception, the fund has supported more than 100 projects in over 38 African countries, committing over $80 million to strengthen business environments, expand financial systems, and promote the growth of small businesses.
FAPA’s resources also allow the Bank to take a more active role in early project preparation, building a stronger pipeline of viable private sector initiatives that can attract investment and deliver lasting development impact.
