•The AgriBiz Programme will also provide support in identifying market opportunities and value-adding activities, building links to markets and gaining access to financial support.
•Most-promising groups will also receive grants from the project and additional assistance in taking their ideas to market.
Agribusiness in Kisii and Uasin Gishu counties has received a much needed shot-in-the-arm with a Sh5.1 billion funding.
The county governments and Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating the engagement of women and youth in agribusiness activities.
This is through the AgriBIz programme which is funded by the European Union and Danida at a cost of Sh5.1 billion.
Facilitating access to productive resources will allow youth and women to increase the productivity of agricultureDanish Ambassador to Kenya Ole Thonke
The MOU will facilitate the collaboration and cooperation between the two entities in advancing small and medium enterprises in the agribusiness sector.
The growth of the Kisii county is largely dependent on performance of the agricultural sector.
The county is endowed with favorable climate, soils and human resource for agricultural production.
It is expected that with increased productivity, commercialization and enhanced competitiveness of agricultural production, the core objectives of creation of employment, food security and increase in incomes among farmers in the county will be realised.
The AgriBiz programme aims to promote sustainable employment for youth and women by providing training, coaching and mentoring in the entrepreneurship and business skills needed to develop and run successful agricultural enterprises.
European Union Ambassador to Kenya Simon Mordue has hailed the milestone.
"Youth bring with them innovative ideas and a willingness to take risks. But what they often lack is access to the skills, knowledge and resources they need to make use of these talents,"said Mordue.
"This programme is a timely intervention for the women and youth of Kenya. AgriBiz will channel resources to a crucial sector to provide meaningful and quality job creation opportunities for them, in a high potential sector such as agribusiness," he added.
In addition to the capacity-building activities, the AgriBiz Programme will provide support in identifying market opportunities and value-adding activities, building links to markets and gaining access to financial support.
The business innovation hubs to be established in the selected counties will play a key role in mentoring and incubating the nascent agribusinesses.
The most-promising groups will receive grants from the project and additional assistance in taking their ideas to market.
Danish Ambassador to Kenya Ole Thonke said: “If we want young people and women to engage meaningfully in agriculture, then we have to make agriculture profitable."
"And for agriculture to be profitable, it has to be productive. Facilitating access to productive resources will allow youth and women to increase the productivity of agriculture and that is critical,”he added.
The county government will also work with KCIC to promote agribusiness ventures through inclusive policies.
The AgriBiz programme will support 2,400 women and youth-led agribusiness enterprises across Kenya.
It is projected to create of 17,000 job opportunities.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Governor James Ongwae said youth involvement in agriculture has been low, among both males and females.
This is mainly due to the negative attitude towards agriculture.
"We are excited that the AgriBiz programme intervention will help address this challenge, increase employment and provide support to improve areas under high value crops, livestock and fisheries, which will empower youth and women in the counties,”Ongwae said.
In Uasin Gishu, the MOU will facilitate the establishment of an innovation hub to enhance the capacity of youth and women-led enterprises working in the agribusiness sector.
This is by making it easy to access information, facilities, financing and other requisite resources.
The main economic activity in Uasin Gishu County is agriculture, both crop and livestock production owing to the county’s rich fertile soils and favourable climatic conditions.
There’s a silent revolution taking place in Kenya with hundreds of young people and women farmers abandoning traditional ways of farming in favour of innovation and technology-led farmingKenya Climate Innovation Center CEO Edward Mungai
The productivity is however hindered due to over reliance on rain fed agriculture which has been greatly impacted by climate change.
Governor Jackson Mandago said:“We stand ready to collaborate with KCIC for the initiative to yield good results. We will work closely with the women and youth for this initiative to be accomplished."
He noted lack of information on modern technologies in agribusiness as among major challenges facing majority youth living in the rural areas.
" This project is ideal for my county’s development,” he said.
Edward Mungai, Chief Executive Officer at KCIC said: “There’s a silent revolution taking place in Kenya with hundreds of young people and women farmers abandoning traditional ways of farming in favour of innovation and technology-led farming and this is what this program will augment.”
KCIC will provide business advisory services and support the enterprises access financing bothfrom within and from external sources as well.