Agriculture and Livestock Development CS Mutahi Kagwe has positioned Kenya’s youthful population as a strategic asset, declaring it a demographic dividend rather than a liability during the 49th Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) held in Rome, Italy.
Kagwe noted that as countries such as the United Kingdom and parts of Europe grapple with ageing and shrinking workforces, Kenya’s youth bulge presents a comparative advantage in driving global agricultural transformation.
He proposed structured six-month agricultural internship exchange programmes with willing partner nations.
“The initiative would allow Kenyan agricultural students to gain hands-on experience in mechanization, climate-smart agriculture, value addition and agribusiness systems abroad, before returning to commercialize farming under Kenya’s Land Commercialization Initiative,” explained the CS, adding that some participants could also be competitively absorbed into host-country labour markets facing shortages.
In a bilateral meeting with a UK delegation led by Ruth Davis and Ambassador Evelyn Ashton, the UK acknowledged its ageing demographic and expressed openness to scaling up structured exchange collaboration with Kenya.
At home, Kenya is repositioning agriculture from subsistence to a modern, market-driven sector powered by young agripreneurs.
Through market-oriented training, Kagwe pointed out that with a Youth Hub within the Ministry, and leasing of idle public land for productive use, youth-driven agriculture is already improving yields, quality standards and market access.
He maintained that empowering young people in agriculture strengthens food security, dignity and national stability, noting that food security is not just about production, but an important component for economic growth.
By Michael Omondi
