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How to elevate the representation of rural youth for
inclusive agricultural development and planning
GIZ Agriculture Kenya
Mr. Kenda Mwenja
Mr. Shadrack Mutavi
Mr. Oliver van der Valk
Ms. Prisca Larissa Watko
Webinar
Nairobi
Kisumu
07.02.19

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Input from Kenya
1. The rural youth in Kenya: Facts and figures
Kenda Mwenja, Component Leader
2. Youth at the forefront of new national policies in Kenya
Shadrack Mutavi, Senior Policy Advisor
3. Impressions from Western Kenya participatory project activities
Prisca Watko, Advisor & Oliver van der Valk, Development Advisor
4. A window of opportunity: 2 youth officials share their experiences with
the participatory process
Lydia Wafula & Gabriel Litunya, Rural Youth Leaders
Discussion

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The rural youth in Kenya
Facts and figures
49.7 Mio. population
„Lower middle income“ country
Youth and children
78%
20-30% food
production deficit
>50% of 70.5 Billion USD
GDP through agriculture
40% population directly
engaged in agricultural sector
Youth unemployment
35%, Rural exodus,
average farmer 60 years
Population growth: 2.53%
19% undernourished
36.1% living in poverty
Urgent need to engage rural
youth for food security
and transformation of
agricultural sector
1.3 Mio. youth entering
labor market annually, 14.3%
jobs formal, 300.000 left behind
Slow reforms after devolution/
private sector engagements
No operational youth
strategy
Low government
investments in agriculture
(6-9%), especially in services
Kenda Mwenja

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• ¼ of Kenyans live in Western
region, highest population density,
700,000 farming households
• Low income levels (<150 EUR/
month), farm sizes around 1 ha
• Low processing capacities
• Good climate for agricultural
production (sufficient rainfall,
moderate temparatures), but
climate change challenges
• High quality products (providing
1/3 from yield class I in Kenya),
medium fertile soils
• Great potential for agricultural
production, but inefficient small-
scale structures, rain-fed farming,
degraded soils, poor
infrastructure and markets
Kenda Mwenja
The rural youth in Kenya
Where we work in Western Kenya

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•Food Security and Nutrition
•Public and private extension services,
ATVET
•Productivity, GAPs
•Agribusiness promotion, value chains,
linkages to markets
•Strengthening farmer organizations
•Agricultural finance
•Strengthening infrastructure (roads and
markets and irrigation)
•Improving soil fertility
•Policy domestication, devolution
•Youth and gender
We develop sustainable,
innovative, scalable and
inclusive models for
agricultural and rural
development
together with our partners.
Key Partners
Kenda Mwenja
The rural youth in Kenya
Where we work in Western Kenya

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>45,000
smallholder
households
reached through
extension services,
80% satisfaction
Increased
productivity
•Dairy 80%
•Sweet potato 55%,
•Potato 40%
•Maize 36%,
•Beans 32%,
•Passion fruit 10%
Policies: ASTGS,
Draft Youth in
Agribusiness Strategy,
9 subsector policies
(Irrigation, Roots and
Tubers, Extension,
Soil, Dairy etc.)
28 competence based curricula
with gender aspects included,
e.g. horticulture, aquaculture,
dairy, agribusiness, potato
3 sector plans
integrated in county
planning plus policies
11,000 ha of degraded
soils rehabilitated
>112,000 smallholder
farmers trained
Increased income
for >37,700
smallholder farmers,
up to 28% increase
The rural youth in Kenya
Where we work in Western Kenya

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How does the Kenyan government
respond to the needs of rural youth?

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Youth at the forefront of new national policies in Kenya
Kenyan Policy Directions
Shadrack Mutavi

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National Youth
Policy (2006)
Acknowledges pressure from high population growth, inadequate skills and low status given to the
youth. Youths excluded from planning and policies. Agriculture/ related professions not considered
National Youth
Enterprise
Development Fund –
Agri-Biz Loan (2006)
Established 2006/2007 to support youth in starting or expanding agribusinesses purchase of
equipment and working capital individuals, registered groups, partnerships and companies (up to
20,000 EUR)
Kazi kwa Vijana (2006) Initiative to keep idle youth busy with temporary rural jobs
Kenya Vision 2030
(2007)
Funds targeting the youth, women, vulnerable groups; ensuring efficient and productive use of
allocated funds
ASDS (2010-2020) Target: lucrative ventures in the agricultural sector and processing plants for value addition.
Incentives to youth either though YEDF, CDF, Innovation Fund for Agriculture
Draft National
Agriculture Youth
Policy (2015)
Drafted to address the gaps in youth policy that did not capture agriculture sector issues relevant to
youth and yet agriculture is major contributor to the economy (not popularized)
Draft National Youth
in Agribusiness
Strategy (2017)
A national strategy seeking to address the issue of youth unemployment through promoting youth
participation in agriculture as a business venture. It explores main challenges including mindset and
attitude as a first barrier for engagement
ASTGS (2018) 13 VCs evaluated to maximize GDP and jobs potential. SMEs to be promoted in 40 high potential
zones providing improved market acess. E-extension with County-based centers by youth. Agro-
processing hubs (mangoes/fruit processing, fish, maize, beef, leather, fish). Unlock 200,000 acres
arable land for commercial contract farming.
Youth at the forefront of new national policies in Kenya
Shadrack Mutavi
COK 2010

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Strategic Issues of the
“Youth in Agribusiness
Strategy” and of the
“Youth Economic
Empowerment Through
Agripreneurship
Programme“
Policy: inclusive policy development and devolved funds targeting youth
Skills development: ATVET, inclusive advisory models, mentoring
Innovation: innovation funds and promotion of innovative technologies
Value addition: Youth-attracting value chains, value addition, division of tasks/services
Access: Access to land, credit, insurance, markets/marketing, information
Network: linkages for youth to access niche markets, support group purchase
Attitude change: youth campaigns, reintroduce agriculture in school curriculum
Youth at the forefront of new national agricultural policies in Kenya
Shadrack Mutavi

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1
• Initiation of the process: Referencing national frameworks and efforts relevant to youth unemployment
and opportunities for involvement in agriculture. Establishment of core team/task force with youth included
2
• Preparation of initial draft: Situation analysis of issues concerning youth in agriculture e.g. low
participation, increasing unemployment both in rural and urban areas
3
• Buy-in/approval by leadership: Ministerial approval by the office of Cabinet Secretary (Agriculture
Minister) on proposed strategic direction
4
• Stakeholders engagement and public participation: Key stakeholders such as County representation
(COG), development partners, civil society, private sector etc.
5
• Validation: Validation of strategy requires immense support from decentralized institutions.
Engagement with 47 Counties is crucial for validation. This strategy is popularized and
measures to include the voice of the youth and County approval. Further consultations
were required in the regions to complete validation and integration into county planning for
implementation.
Youth at the forefront of new national policies in Kenya
Process to draft National Youth in Agribusiness
Strategy
Shadrack Mutavi

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How does GIZ contribute to engage the
rural youth in agricultural development
processes?
We use participatory methods with the rural youth for situation analysis, strategy
development and planning/conducting project activities.

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1. Scoping Study: Realistic employment opportunities for the
rural youth in the agricultural sector in Western Kenya
(University of Nairobi)
• FGDs with youth and semi-structured interviews with youth
leaders
• Assessment of social, economic, and political factors for
youth unemployment, job ideas outside the box
Points of criticism by youth
• Few comprehensive programs directly targeted to youth
• Poor information and communication to their level
• “Donors scatter seeds”: no time to identify the right farmers
and strategy (focus on youth groups)
• Need for long-term and sustainable youth action plans
• Youth want to be integrated in strategic planning
Impressions from the Western Kenya participatory project activities
“Youth have the energy, youth have the
number and youth have the voice”
Prisca Watko

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Impressions from the Western Kenya participatory project activities
Processing
Post-Harvest
Services
Production
Diverse, location-
specific, distribution of
labor
02
E-extension
Extension service
(advice, equipment
installation, etc.)
Certification
Machine operation etc.
04
Aggregation
Sorting / Grading
Collection and
transport
Warehouse
management
Cereal banking
Milk ATMs
Machine operation etc.
Marketing06
Input Supply01
Input marketing
Seed, chicks etc.
Production
Nurseries, grafting etc.
Fodder production;
Animal feed
production, etc.
Organic fertilizer etc.
03
Soil testing, other lab
services etc.
Building industry: brick
making, green houses
Motor vehicle and
machinery mechanics
Transport
etc.
05
Market-driven value
addition
Operation of (cold
chain) stores for
preservation
etc.
Packaging/labeling
Transport
Market price
information broker
Wholesale and Retail
etc.
1. Scoping Study: Realistic employment opportunities for the rural youth in the agricultural
sector in Western Kenya (University of Nairobi)
Source: Prof.
Hutchinson (UoN)
04/ 2018
Prisca Watko

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2. Interactive workshops for organisational development
Impressions from the Western Kenya participatory project activities
Salient issues:
•Political participation and representation
•Exit strategies
•Sustainable agriculture
3. Youth in Agribusiness
Western Region Conference
08/2018 >>> Video link
05 – 06/18 Approaching existing rural youth groups regarding self-organisation, sensitization on
important related youth issues
06 – 07/18 Formation of County-based Youth in Agribusiness Umbrella organizations
(individuals, groups from sub-counties and wards)
07 – 08/18 Joint development of County-specific declarations, merging to Western Youth
Declaration
Oliver van der Valk

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A window of opportunity:
2 youth officials share their experience
with the participatory process

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My agribusiness: Kikwit dairies
•Started in 2013 with 3 employees and 5 Friesian dairy cows
•Today: 7 youths employed on permanent basis, herd of 60
•Supply fresh milk to schools and banks in Mumias town
Initial main challenges
• Lack of information and networks
• Lack of constant markets
• Unskilled staff who learnt on the job
• Unreliable artificial insemination services
• Poor feeds planning and management
More about my agribusiness:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF8ksBGEtjk
Lydia Wafula
Dairy farmer
A window of opportunity: Input from rural
youth leader on participatory process
Lydia Wafula

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Gabriel Litunya Akali
Youth farmer and
Chairperson to KCYAA
Kakamega Youth Agripreneurs Association
(KCYAA)
•Umbrella Youth Organization for Youths in
Agribusiness in Kakamega County
•Coverage: All 12 sub-counties of Kakamega County
Membership
•Individual membership - 240 members
•Groups membership - 10 groups
•Corporate membership - in progress
A window of opportunity: Input from rural
youth leader on participatory process
Gabriel Litunya

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A window of opportunity: Input from rural
youth leader on participatory process
Gabriel Litunya

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Pioneers
 A few youth working already with GIZ realized the need to form a representative
association that would champion youth in agribusiness issues and bring together youths
 June 2018: Kakamega County Youth Agribusiness Association was formed
 Association applied with the Government of Kenya for formal registration
 Linking with similar associations in the region
Activities of the association
• Active involvement in the Youth in Agribusiness Conference
• Mobilizing youth and developing the joint Western Youth Declaration for presentation to
the Executives (County Government and National Government)
• Joint declaration: Western youth identified 9 thematic areas to enhance agribusiness
(expectations, future engagement, commitment)
• Support to identifying youth role models across the County who will receive capacity
building in their role to nature other youth into profitable agribusiness
A window of opportunity: Input from rural
youth leader on participatory process
Gabriel Litunya

21.
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A window of opportunity: Input from rural
youth leader on participatory process

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Discussion