By P, KNA
An international conglomerate, Mastercard Foundation has kicked off a programme aimed at making the youth in Western and Nyanza regions embrace agriculture as an alternative source of employment.
Through the programme, 100,000 youths from nine counties in the two regions will be trained and helped to venture into agribusiness through a programme dubbed “Resilient Agriculture that works for the youth (RAY)” that is implemented through a non-governmental organisation, Practical Action.
Speaking in Siaya during a training session for the youth, a senior programme officer for Practical Action, Philip Kubende said the project aims at creating a dignified and fulfilling employment for the young people.
“According to the 2019 census, approximately 800,000 youths either graduate from colleges and universities or drop out of school every year,” said Kubende adding that the government only provides employment for about a third of them.
He said that agriculture provides the best alternative source of employment for the young people who he urged to venture into it.
Kubende said that the Mastercard foundation sponsored programme works in four value chains, poultry, African leafy vegetables, Tomatoes and Oil crops.
The programme officer said that they also work with market actors whom they connect the young farmers with.
Practical Action Kenya’s programme officer for Siaya, Melvin Otieno said that they have so far reached 12,000 young men and women who have been trained on agribusiness development and financial literacy.
Otieno said that through the programme, young people are now earning additional income on top of what they have been doing.
The director of Victoria Eco farm limited, Nicholas Omondi who has been training the youth in the region said the project will have a spiral effect in the region.
Omondi said that the region’s economy was bound to improve as the community will learn from the beneficiaries and join the value chain.
He said that Victoria Eco farm, apart from training the youth, also offers market for the products and has been engaging some of them as aggregators.
The beneficiaries of the programme, through Benta Akoth Aketch and Malik Owade hailed the programme, adding that it has helped open up opportunities for them.