When you arrive at Irish Business Ventures, nestled in Nigeria’s agricultural belt, you’re met with a thriving ecosystem; maize fields stretching across the land, poultry flocks in motion, and fish ponds quietly sustaining life.

At the center of it all is Idakwo John Idakwo, a farmer who has learned that resilience, not just hard work, is the key to building a successful agribusiness.

But just a year ago, his story looked very different.

“I farmed on this same land and made almost nothing,” he recalls. “It was a zero-profit season.”

Like many smallholder agripreneurs, Idakwo relied heavily on unpredictable weather, with limited access to structured systems to protect and grow his business. Waste from his poultry operations was sold off cheaply, creating little value and leaving behind environmental challenges.

Everything changed when he joined the Building Resilience Against Climate and Environment Shocks (BRACE) Program by African Food Changemakers.

Through BRACE, Idakwo gained access to practical training, mentorship, and exposure to climate-smart agricultural practices tailored for real business application.

“The biggest lesson I learned,” he says, “is that we can’t wait for climate shocks to happen, we must build resilience before they come.”

Armed with this knowledge, Idakwo made a simple but transformative decision.

Instead of selling poultry waste, he repurposed it as organic fertilizer on his fields. The impact was immediate.

His soil quality improved.

His crops grew stronger.

His yields increased.

“Where I used the poultry waste, the difference was clear,” he explains. “My soil became richer, my crops greener.”

What was once waste became a valuable input, marking the beginning of a zero-waste, climate-smart farming system.

Today, Idakwo’s farm tells a new story.

From the same piece of land that once produced nothing, he now harvests significantly higher yields and operates a more efficient, integrated system. He is also taking steps to introduce irrigation, ensuring year-round production and reducing climate-related risks.

“Last year, I harvested almost nothing. This year, from the same land, I harvested more than a bag of maize. BRACE truly changed my farm and my financial capacity.”

For Idakwo, the transformation goes beyond productivity.

It is about building a business that can withstand shocks, maximize resources, and grow sustainably.

“I’m now building a climate-smart business that I can proudly call my own.”

Scaling Resilience Across Africa’s Agribusinesses

Idakwo’s story reflects a broader reality across the continent.

Agribusinesses are not failing due to a lack of effort; they are constrained by limited access to the tools, systems, and knowledge needed to adapt and scale in a changing climate.

Through the BRACE Program, African Food Changemakers is equipping agripreneurs with the capabilities to:

• Build climate resilience
• Improve productivity
• Increase profitability
• Transition into sustainable, scalable enterprises

Because the future of Africa’s food systems depends not just on producing more but on building businesses that can adapt, grow, and thrive.