Youth Agripreneur Program launched in Meru county, Kenya

The Ministry of Agriculture, County Government of Meru as part of the World Bank’s National Agriculture Rural Inclusive Growth Program (NARIGP) and One Million Farmer Platform (OMFP) partnered with Kuza Biashara for its Disruptive Agricultural Technologies (DAT) initiative to benefit the young women/men from the Kiambu county.

Working closely with the county teams, Kuza would be supporting the selected Youth Agripreneurs from 4 wards (Kibirichia, Abuthuguchi, Kiirua Nari,Ruiri Rwarera) through its Rural Entrepreneur Development Incubators (REDI). With the specially designed Kuza portable digital toolkits each of the Youth Agripreneurs would be able to provide digital extension services to a cohort of 200 smallholder farmers from the banana, dairy, poultry and beans value chains.

The Youth Agripreneur program got kicked off officially on 06 & 07 Sep 2022 at the Rengeland  Hotel, Isiolo town.  Kuza Mentor Mr. Wallas Opiyo conducted the orientation session which was graced by Mr. Lawrence Mbobua, Digital Champion, NARIGP and the Ward Agricultural Officers supporting the potato value chain. Mr.Lawrence  highlighted how farmers can address their challenges using the disruptive agriculture technologies and  increase their productivity.

Kuza mentors would support the selected Youth Agripreneurs through a 15 week MBA style leadership program to equip them with technical and business skills needed, and hand hold them in providing digital extension services to their respective cohorts of smallholder farmers from the Vulnerable & Marginalized Groups (VMG) or Common Interest Groups (CIG).

Youth Agripreneurs would sustain with the commissions they earn by providing agri inputs, farm services and facilitation of credit and markets to their farmers.