Many young people don’t tend to gravitate towards agriculture because it’s not the glamorous career they dreamt of having. However, the shortage in employment opportunities has driven the Kenyan youth to consider other alternatives like farming. Towards this, the government has developed the ENABLE Youth Kenya Program.
Youth participation in agriculture is critical because this sector plays a critical role in the economy. As of 2023, agriculture contributed to 20% of the country’s GDP. There is only 10% of youth in the agricultural sector which is quite low. Therefore, it’s necessary for youth to engage in agriculture to ensure that it is sustainable in the future. To entice more youth participation, the ENABLE Youth Kenya Program offers loans and other services to the youth in agriculture.
The Empowering Novel Agribusiness-Led Employment (ENABLE) Youth Kenya program was developed by Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock & Fisheries. They did this in partnership with the African Development Bank to provide training, mentorship and access to financial support that will assist the Kenyan youth in agriculture.
The aim of the program is to bridge the succession gaps and grow entrepreneurship in agribusiness among young people. This ensures food security, job creation and income generation in the country. The four-year program plans to train and empower 2080 agripreneurs, out of which 1200 agribusinesses are expected to be generated and 10,000 jobs created. Certain agricultural value chains have been identified for prioritization. They include:
- Poultry
- Piggery
- Mushroom
- Vegetable
- Dairy
- Beef
- Pasture
- Fingerling
- Table fish
Additionally, the program is implemented through an incubation model. There are 8 incubation centers known as the Youth Agri-Business Incubation Centers (YABICs) spread across the country. Youth from all over the country can access training, mentorship and financial services from these centers which is conducted under two categories:
Standard Incubation
This is designed for unemployed graduates or start-up agripreneur seeking guidance and finances to actualize their agricultural plans. Their business should have an annual turnover of less than Ksh 500,000. Incubation and training takes 3-6 months.
Accelerated Incubation
This is designed for graduates who run an agribusiness that has been in existence for more than 1 year and is seeking better credit, market linkage and business skills to accelerate business growth. Their business should have an annual turnover of above Ksh 500,000. Incubation and training takes 3-6 months.
Incubatee graduates whose proposals do not receive funding will be linked to the private sector for professional agri-based jobs. The beneficiaries of ENABLE Youth Kenya Program include:
- Applicants whose household income and livelihood will improve from the program
- Communities that will benefit from having knowledge and resources provided by the program
- Farmers with youth entrepreneurs linking them to markets
If you’re a Kenyan youth in agribusiness, you should consider applying for this program. Here’s a guide on how to do it.
Qualifications to apply for the ENABLE Youth Program
- Graduate with a Diploma or Bachelor’s degree
- Kenyan citizen
- Aged between 18-35 years
- Own or willing to start an agribusiness
- Have a business proposal that fits within the priority value chains
Requirements to apply for the ENABLE Youth Kenya Program
- Valid Kenyan ID
- KRA PIN
- Diploma or bachelor’s certificate
- 1-page business proposal demonstrating an innovative business idea, access to office space and land (where applicable), adaptability to the location, availability of market, risk & mitigation strategies, availability of licenses and permits (where applicable)
- CRB Clearance certificate
Application process for the ENABLE Youth Kenya Program
- Prepare all the required documents including a business proposal, KRA PIN, CRB Clearance certificate, ID and Diploma/Bachelor’s certificate
- Complete the application form on the Ministry of Agriculture Kilimo website. Click Vacancies on the top right menu bar then select Call For Application – Enable Youth Program
- Submit your application and wait for confirmation if it was successful. Only successful candidates are contacted
- If successful, you will go through your respective incubation phase then receive funding once you have completed the process
Note: The application process happens during a specified timeline. Check the Ministry of Agriculture website to find out when it is open