• The strategy aims to change the perception of the youth towards agribusiness. Youth held back by negative stereotypes that's it's dull and not profitable.
• Provide youth-friendly financial services to start business.
Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri on Friday launched the youth agribusiness strategy to create youth employment and improve production.
It aims to change young men's perception of agriculture a dull and low paying and turn them into money-making agripreneurs.
Full implementation will require Sh22 billion.
The Intergovernmental Forum in Mombasa asked the national and county governments to roll out the strategy.
It said youth agribusiness strategy was a priority to transform country and youth employment.
The strategy aims to change young peoples mindsets — agriculture is not dull and boring, it's dynamic and profitable.
It also aims to provide access to youth-friendly financial services for agripreneurship.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, directly contributing 30 per cent of the annual GDP and another 27 per cent in indirect contributions.
Youths account for 35.4 per cent of Kenya’s population (World Bank 2014), with one million entering the labour market annually (Kenya Country Report on Youth Employment, 2014)s.
The sector presents a huge opportunity for the creation of employment to absorb the youth and ensure achievement of food security for future generations.
Youth unemployment is primarily a challenge of economic growth and job creation requires efforts to stimulate transformation and development in the business sector.
In 2011, 520,000jobs were created in Kenya, out of which 74,000 (14.3 per cent) were formal sector jobs. Considering the number of new labour market entrants, about 300,000 young people are left out every year.
The ministry seeks to provide job opportunities for the youth by laying out strategies would involve them in agricultural business.
The youth agribusiness strategy report said implementation will require Sh22 billion and that it would depend on the availability of human and financial resources from national, county governments and development partners.
Edited by R.Wamochie