This document discusses the concept of youth agribusiness parks to support young entrepreneurs in modern farming. It proposes establishing parks that provide land, services, and opportunities for agribusiness startups focused on modern farming, aquaculture, and light agro-industry. Examples of potential park locations are described in Kenya, DR Congo, and Nigeria that could host clusters of youth-led enterprises aligned with TAAT value chains. The parks would operate as independent businesses and provide common services and facilities to tenant enterprises, with the goal of identifying factors for business success and growth. Funding opportunities through TAAT grants and management positions are also outlined.

1. Youth Agribusiness Parks: A
mechanism toward toward
enterprise development
Paul L. Woomer
Email: plwoomer@gmail.com
Agripreneur Technical Adviser

2.  The establishment of Agricultural Parks is one means
to quickly place departing Agripreneurs and others
into modern farming by providing land and key
farming services for reasonable rates.
 These services include common land preparation,
irrigation, pest control and marketing services.
 The Agripreneurs have proven adept in “rescuing”
failing rural development facilities and farms (e.g.
Kibwezi, Kenya; Imo, Nigeria, Bukavu, DRC), but do
so without a larger commitment or strategy.
 In other cases, Agripreneurs are experiencing
difficulties with integrating themselves into Agricultural
Parks initiated by others.
Rationale for Youth Agribusiness Parks

3.  Explore the establishment and operations of youth
agribusiness parks offering opportunities in modern
farming, aquaculture and light agro-industry;
 Track the business operations of these youth-led,
gender-balanced agribusiness start-ups as a means
to identify and facilitate factors affecting business
success and growth; and
 Extend the concept of these parks across the
Agripreneur Youth Movement, including those
developed by the ENABLE Youth Program, in terms
of developing viable departure strategies that
maximize its effectiveness and overall impacts.
A Strategy within ENABLE TAAT

4. UoN Dryland Research Center Irrigated
Farm
 40 ha is part of a 12,000 ha facility that
is undergoing reorganization
 Site for KHYG (1 ha greenhouse and
field), otherwise abandoned
 Along Kibwezi River, some conditions
to water use, periodic drought
 KHYG is independently registered and
with bank account
 MoA MAVIC nearby
40 ha facility

5. Photos of Poultry Facility at the UoN Kibwezi Dryland Station. The Kibwezi
Hortipreneur Youth Group have requested use of this facility for three years
to establish a poultry and goat fattening farming enterprise.

6.  Prepared as an
agribusiness plan
 Developed with
University of Nairobi
 Enterprise will provide
tenancy to youth-led
businesses
 Other agribusiness plans
are nested into it
 An nearby abandoned
poultry facility identified
nearby

7. Kalambo Youth Agripreneurs
(aquaculture park)
 IKYA operates from the IITA
Kalambo station near Bukavu in
South Kivu, DR Congo
 Three enterprises relating to TAAT,
cassava, maize and fish value chains
 Fish farming includes the
rehabilitation of two, large
abandoned pond complexes
 Capacity to produce fish feed must
be expanded
 Strong connection with local
government and good access to
Bukavu markets
 Matching funds from TAAT Fish
Compact?

8. Anambra Imo River Basin Authority
 Part of a huge, under-utilized facility that is undergoing redevelopment
 Site of the struggling Imo-Agbala Agripreneurs (5000 m2 greenhouse)
 Borehole, solar electricity, IITA renovated offices, nearby large Owerri markets
 Group refuses to register and establish an independent bank account
 Group makes poor use of surrounding fields
 Strong connection to local government and the Imo Polytechnic

9. Urban Agripreneur Training Center in Gwagwalunda, Nigeria
 Redevelop guest house as an Urban Agripreneur Training Center
 Enterprises include hydroponic vegetables, container fish farming, mushrooms,
poultry, snails and value-added processing (poor alignment with TAAT).
 Collaboration with the Abuja Agripreneurs, facility to expand into an urban agriculture
and youth project training center, nearby apartment complex also available
 Developed in conjunction with the property owner an "Angel Investor"

10. So let is use ENABLE TAAT to develop a network of Youth
Agribusiness Parks within the Agribusiness Completion
action!
 Organized as independent business or CBO
 Provides common services to agribusiness tenants
 Must include at least four enterprises and two TAAT value
chains
 Must be locally registered and operate a bank account
 Must modernize with mechanization, irrigation, etc.
 Must establish affiliation with land owner and 3-5 year
lease arrangement (or more)
 Developmental affiliation an added advantage (e.g. local
government, partner investors)
 Cluster of youth enterprises, at last one outside tenant
 Not a lifeline to failing groups, but a real business
opportunity!

11. Opportunities for combined and creative funding if the Park
management become ENABLE TAAT liaisons!
Source Amount
Agribusiness Completion Grant 22,000
L1 Mangement Position 5,259
Organize Country Meeting 2,929
Host Food Basket Outreach 3,533
Conduct Youth Registration 1,519
Total 35,240
This is tight funding, but still viable given the
assets already in place! If you are interested then
contact me ASAP. You must prepare an
Agribusiness Completion Application. Form up to
six parks in Year 1.