​Access2innovation part of a new strategic partnership with the Danish Government​

​43 Meetings Open Doors ​in TZ ​for Danish Companies and Schools ​

​New Face on the Board: Meet Lotte from Caritas​

​New dates for Kenya Delegation​

In Memoriam: Michael (Mike) Yhdego

​Access2innovation part of a new strategic partnership with the Danish Government​

A new consortium comprising Caritas Denmark, Access2innovation, and the Danish Agriculture & Food Council has been selected for a Strategic Partnership Agreement by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a total funding of DKK 63 million per year for the period 2027–2031. Caritas Denmark, who is the lead in the consortium, is already a strategic partner to the Danish government, but based on the need to involve the private sector in the development work, the consortium was formed and pre-qualified as a partner last year.

“First, I would like to commend the Danish government for its new Africa strategy, with its greater focus on private-sector development assistance, which has now also left its mark on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' partnership agreements. Humanitarian aid is important, but in my view, it cannot stand alone, because it focuses more on acute needs and is not sufficiently addressing the long-term problems of developing economies," says Henrik Anker-Ladefoged of Access2Innovation. He continues:

"In a country like Uganda, some 75% of the population is under 25 years of age, and especially young people in rural areas find it very difficult to get a job. From our own experience we know that stable economic development helps create the framework for a strong democracy and civil society. Together with our consortium partners, we will therefore focus on building capacity in business understanding and development among cooperatives and small businesses in the agricultural sector, where around 70% of the population earns its primary livelihood.

The challenges are many and significant and include cultural, financial, political, educational, climate-related, and organizational issues. Tackling them requires a range of competencies, and no single organization can manage the task on its own. That is why we have formed a consortium with Caritas Denmark and the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, and we look forward to working with our partners to deliver sustainable solutions that can create job opportunities, especially for young people and women in rural areas, and thereby help strengthen civil society in African countries."

​Click here to read full story.​

​43 meetings in TZ open doors for Danish companies and schools ​

“It was really a fruitful trip, and we were able to make many contacts in the few days we were in Tanzania.”

Klaas B.J. Overlade, ZBC.

Nine Danish companies and educational institutions were signed up for our latest delegation to Tanzania, made in cooperation with the Danish Agriculture & Food Council and the Danish Embassy in Tanzania to explore business opportunities, meet potential partners, and gain first-hand knowledge of the Tanzanian agribusiness market. During the visit, the delegation held 43 individual and joint meetings with Tanzanian businesses and educational institutions.

“We expanded our network and met potential customers”

For LINCO Incubator CEO Harry Sørensen, the delegation was an opportunity to build relationships and identify potential customers:

“I had a good trip and brought a lot of value home with me. We expanded our network and met potential customers. We had meetings with six interesting companies, and some of them were very positive surprises. They had more control of their business than many European companies.

I always ask to see their warehouse. If it is tidy and clean, you know that they have things under control. These are the companies we will work with in a more focused way going forward.

My experience is that when you work with Access2innovation – and especially with Henrik Anker-Ladefoged – things work. That is why we take part in the delegation trips. As long as A2i is a co-organizer, we will go again. A2i can do something very special when it comes to finding the right local companies.”

Strong interest in cooperation on vocational education

The delegation also brought an educational perspective. Zealand Business College (ZBC) is among the educational institutions showing increasing interest in opportunities in Africa. During the trip, ZBC met a number of Tanzanian TVET institutions and potential partners.

“It was really a fruitful trip, and we were able to make many contacts in the few days we were in Tanzania. The visit gave us a very positive impression of both the engagement and the potential for closer cooperation between Danish and Tanzanian vocational education institutions,” says Klaas B. J. Overlade, International Special Consultant at ZBC.

​Click to read the full story​

​New face on the board: Meet Lotte from Caritas​

Lotte Niemann Jørgensen, Partnership and Programme Advisor for East Africa, is the newest member of Access2innovation’s board. She holds degrees from Roskilde University (RUC) and Copenhagen Business Academy and has throughout her career worked with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, previously with institutional donors like the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the EU, and for the last eight years with Caritas Denmark. Lotte is looking forward to closer collaboration with A2i:

“At Caritas, we greatly benefited from having a colleague on the board of A2i. So now that I am joining the board as Partnership and Programme Advisor for East Africa, I am happy to build on this work.”

Lotte also sees her board position as a natural way to prepare for the SPA programme that Caritas Denmark and A2i hope to undertake next year:

“It makes good sense for me to join the board now and get to know the organization from this perspective. Hopefully, we can take our collaboration to the next level with the SPA grant. The better we know each other, the better we can identify where each of us can contribute and complement each other.”

The SPA programme is part of a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The SPA programme will be implemented in a consortium of A2i, the Danish Food and Agriculture Council, and Caritas Denmark as the lead partner. This creates new opportunities for A2i members looking for sustainable partnerships in Africa.

Facts about Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Denmark

Caritas Internationalis is a global confederation of 162 Catholic organizations working in more than 200 countries and territories. As an expression of the Church’s mission, Caritas serves people who are poor, vulnerable, or excluded, regardless of race or religion, working together for a just world. Caritas Internationalis is the world’s second-largest humanitarian network, after the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. There is a national Caritas organization in almost every country.

Caritas Denmark is committed to local leadership and works closely with local Caritas organizations to strengthen their capacity to take leadership in programs, influence coordination and policy spaces, and uphold accountability to communities, while also supporting long-term organizational sustainability.

​Click to read the full story.​

​Let A2i Open Kenya for Your Business (new dates)

The Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Access2Innovation, and the Danish Embassy in Kenya are pleased to publish the new dates, where we invite your company to participate in our next 2026 agribusiness delegation to Kenya: February 9-12, 2027.

Kenya is one of Africa’s most fertile and open countries with ambitious growth targets and an agribusiness sector full of opportunities. This delegation trip will enable Danish companies to meet key partners and potential customers; showcase their products and services; and gain first-hand knowledge about the Kenyan agribusiness sector and market.

​Click to read more.​

In Memoriam: Michael Yhdego

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Michael (Mike) Yhdego, PhD, Managing Director of Environmental Resources Consultancy and a member of Access2innovation.

Michael worked with climate science, waste management, renewable energy, and ESIA. Many A2i members met Michael during delegations to East Africa and will remember his knowledge, engagement, and warm collaboration.

Our thoughts are with his family, colleagues, and friends.