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Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
1
Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment
in the Agricultural Sector in Kenya
Benson NJORA1*, Hasan YILMAZ2
1,2 Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture,
Department of Agricultural Economics, Isparta, Turkey
*Corresponding author: wanduben12@gmail.com
ORCID : 0000-0001-7082-488X1 , 0000-0002-0487-84492
Abstract
The study aimed to assess the challenges hindering Kenyan youth from participation in the
agricultural sector. In this study, qualitative analysis was used as a basic research tool. Youth
unemployment in Kenya is higher than the overall national unemployment rate. Kenya's economy
is not creating enough jobs to increase the number of young people entering the labor market.
Despite the increasing youth unemployment, the number of young people in the agricultural sector
has been declining. In contrast, the service and manufacturing sectors are growing significantly
but are far from creating enough jobs for Kenya's young workforce. This can have negative
implications as it increases unemployment and underemployment rates in Kenya and also
undermines government efforts to drive economic growth through agriculture. Therefore, the
agricultural sector is critical in creating employment and raising the living standards of Kenyan
youth. The agricultural sector offers excellent opportunities to employ young people and to ensure
food security. However, the sector has not yet fully utilized the potential of the young workforce
and remains largely unattractive to them. Young people have a negative perception of agriculture,
they perceive working in the agricultural sector as a last resort, as an activity for the elderly, and
they do not see farming as a profitable business, which makes the situation even worse. The paper
also highlights the employment opportunities in the agricultural sector, policies, strategies, and
other initiatives to help position youths at the forefront of agricultural growth and transformation
to achieving sustainable food systems.
Keywords: Agricultural policy, Youths, Employment, Rural labor, Rural development
Research article
Received Date: 2 December 2021
Accepted Date: 28 December 2021
INTRODUCTION
The global population is expected to grow from 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050. The United
Nations population estimates in 2020 indicated that there were 1.3 billion people between the ages
of 15 and 24; referred to as youths by the World Bank's definition of youth. By 2030, the target
date for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world's youth population is
estimated to increase by 7% to 1.4 billion youths (United Nations 2020).
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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With the rapidly increasing population, there is an increase in the demand for foodstuffs in
an already food insecure world thus the global food insecurity is getting worse, especially in
developing countries. Agriculture is an important sector in every country that plays a key role in
providing food, employment opportunities and also contributes to economic growth and
development.
By 2030, the world aims at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and agriculture
is a key sector to achieving these goals for instance Goal 1 - Ending poverty in all its forms and
Goal 2 - Ending hunger to ensure food and nutrition security. To achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals by 2030, young people need to be actively involved in the agricultural sector.
Globally, the agricultural sector accounts for 32% of total employment (ILO, 2019). It is important
to focus on youth as the critical group to help address the future of agriculture and food insecurity
and other related issues in the agricultural sector. The global youth population growth is not
proportional to the employment and entrepreneurship opportunities available, especially for young
people living in developing countries (Yami et al., 2019). In most African countries, youth
unemployment is reported to be more than double that of adult unemployment.” (World Bank,
2020). The agricultural sector plays a vital role in Africa's economic growth and social
development. Agricultural labor is the highest percentage of the total population mostly in Africa
(Africa Agricultural Situation Report, 2019). Rural population, young people and employment are
important dynamics for economic and rural development. Young people leaving or losing interest
in farming can result in a loss of productive workforce for the rural economy (Başaranoglu and
Yılmaz, 2020). Also, young people can bring new skills and energy, and a more professional
management to the agriculture sector. Against the context of an ageing agricultural workforce, the
future of the farmers’ profession must be ensured (Redigor, 2012).
Kenya is a developing country with a GDP of $95.5 billion. The agricultural sector plays a
key role in the Kenyan economy, contributing 51 percent to the total GDP (World Bank, 2019).
60% of the total workforce in Kenya is employed in the agricultural sector. According to the 2019
census data of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 35.7 million Kenyans (75.1%) are
under the age of 35. It is estimated that 64% of unemployed Kenyans are young, with the majority
moving from the agricultural sector to urban areas to look for better opportunities as they still view
agriculture as an activity for the elderly and can't make a good living from it. In urban areas, there
are limited job opportunities for the youths thus rural-to-urban migration has increased the youth
unemployment rate in Kenya. The shifting of young people from the agricultural sector to other
sectors is largely attributed to the strength of various push and pull factors based on global
economic trends that favor the non-agricultural sector over the agricultural sector, thus shifting the
workforce from agriculture (Njeru, 2017). To solve youth unemployment in Kenya, the
agricultural sector possess the highest potential, and youths need to be brought to the discussion
table, get involved, and be made part of the food systems if Kenya is to increase youth employment
and achieve food security by 2030 (Himaja, 2020).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this work, qualitative analysis was used as a basic research tool. The study used data to
assess Kenya's youth engagement in the agricultural sector, factors hindering youths' participation
and employment in the agricultural sector, and also different ways to promote youths' participation
in the agricultural sector. Research data were collected by reviewing policy documents, journals,
articles, and other relevant materials.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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In addition, data were obtained from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, the Ministry of Planning and National
Development, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The average, the absolute and
relative distributions were calculated in the analysis of the data. The obtained findings were
interpreted with tables and graphics and recommendations have been developed.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Youth Unemployment Situation in Kenya
Kenya's 2010 National Constitution defines youth as "all individuals who have attained the
age of 18 years but below the age of 35 years". Kenya has a young population, according to the
most recent data from the 2019 census by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)
revealed that 35.7 million Kenyans (75.1%) are under the age of 35. The growing number of young
people has created a labor supply that is far greater than the job market can accommodate.
Currently, around 1 million young people enter the job market either having dropped out of school
or having completed high school, college, or university (Kenya Youth Employment Report, 2020).
To meet the country's job demand, a total of more than 1 million new jobs need to be created
annually. It is also stated that the skills acquired by college and university graduates often do not
meet the expectations of employers (Kenya Youth Employment Report, 2020).
The unemployment rate in Kenya is very high and an estimated 64% of the unemployed in
the country are youth. It is recognized that the average age of farmers in the country is over 50
years old despite the country having a young population. According to Kenya Youth Employment
Report (2020), few young people see a future for themselves in the agricultural sector. This has
led to many young people shifting from the agricultural sector despite its high potential to provide
good livelihoods, employment, income generation activities, and wealth creation opportunities.
Despite government and private sector interventions, the agricultural sector has not yet fully
utilized the potential of youths. Working in the agricultural sector is largely unattractive for young
people and most have a negative perception of anything to do with farming. Among the main
problems affecting youth participation in agriculture, including but are not limited to; inadequate
access to land, difficulties in accessing agricultural financing and insurance, insufficient
information, skills, and extension services, and poor technologies and accessibility to markets.
According to World Bank (2020), the estimated youth unemployment rate in Kenya was
7.27 percent. Data provided by the World Bank shows that the youth unemployment rate in Kenya
is on the rise. Compared to 2019, 2020 recorded a higher youth unemployment rate (Figure 1).
However, it is important to note that the figure below only captures individuals between the age
of 15-24 years that’s why the unemployment is low. As indicated earlier, Kenya considers a youth
to be between 18-35 years.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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Figure 1. Kenya youth unemployment rate from 1990 to 2020
Source: World Bank @ Statista, 2020
Distribution of Employment in Kenya by Economic Sector
Agriculture is the main source of employment in Kenya. However, labor participation in
agricultural activities has been decreasing in the country. As of 2020, employment in agriculture
corresponded to 53.8 percent of the total employment in Kenya. In comparison, the share was at
59.8 percent in 2010. By contrast, the employment in manufacturing and services sectors has been
following an upward tendency. Despite the growth of the manufacturing and services sectors’
growth, the agricultural sector still remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, contributing 51
percent to the total GDP; 26% directly and around 26% indirectly (World Bank, 2019).
Figure 2. Distribution of employment in Kenya from 2011 to 2020, by economic sector
Source: World Bank @ Statista, 2021.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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Kenya Population and Labor Force
Table 1 shows the population trend of Kenya from 1990 to 2020. The population has been
increasing since 1990 with a population difference of 30,046,717. According to the data provided
in the table, the rural population in 2020 was 72.15% of the total population whereas in 1990 it
was 83.48%. On the other hand, considering Kenya's youth population, it has been in an increasing
trend with only 44.06% of the total population in 1990 and 72.15% of the total population in 2020.
Despite the rise of the young population, the rural young population has been decreasing due to
high migration from rural to urban areas (KNBS 2020). While 75.78% of young people lived in
rural areas in 1990, there were 53.41% young people living in rural areas in 2020, and the number
is estimated to continue declining (KNBS 2020). From these data, the high rate of migration from
rural to urban has led to the shift of agricultural labor to urban areas. However, most youths in
urban areas are underemployed while others are unemployed. Agriculture provides great
opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed youths if proper measures, strategies, and
policies are implemented.
Table 1. Kenya Population Trend
Year
Total
Population
Rural
Population
Rural
Population
(%)
Youth
Population
Youth
Population
(%)
Rural Youth
Population
Rural
Youth
Population
(%)
2020
53,771,296
38,796,237
72.15
37,903,312
70.49
20,243,289
53.41
2019
52,573,973
38,211,135
72.68
35,702,232
67.91
19,468,298
54.53
2018
51,392,565
37,620,760
73.20
32,468,768
63.18
18,098,666
55.74
2017
50,221,142
37,019,795
73.71
29,645,622
59.03
16,148,606
54.47
2016
49,051,534
36,400,700
74.20
28,589,675
58.28
15,876,918
55.53
2015
47,878,336
35,758,580
74.69
27,230,652
56.87
14,898,987
54.71
2010
42,030,676
32,284,007
76.81
23,670,789
56.31
13,245,768
55.96
2005
36,624,895
28,811,441
78.66
17,760,642
48.49
11,886,618
66.92
2000
31,964,557
25,708,372
80.43
14,576,844
45.60
10,99,672
75.41
1995
27,768,296
22,773,997
82.01
12,650,642
45.56
9,563,292
75.60
1990
23,724,579
19,805,142
83.48
10,452,600
44.06
7,920,782
75.78
Source:Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info), KNBS 2020.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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Table 2 indicates Kenya's total labor force, active labor force, and also the workforce in
the agricultural sector. The data provided by KNBS 2020, ILOSTAT 2020, Kenya Labor Force
Participation Report, 2018, shows that the labor force in the agricultural sector has been in a
declining trend since 1990. In 1990, the total workforce in the agricultural sector was 63.35 % of
the total workforce whereas in 2020 it was at 53.26% of the total labor force. As the country has
been developing, the growth of manufacturing and service industries continues to take in a share
of the agriculture workforce. However, not all labor force moving away from the agricultural sector
has been absorbed in the manufacturing and service industries, others remain unemployed when
they could be working in the agricultural sector and making a good living for themselves (Himaja
N. 2020).
Table 2. Kenya Labor force in the Agricultural Sector
Year
Total Labor Force
Active Labor Force
Labor Force in
Agriculture
Labor Force in
Agriculture (%)
1990
8,748,266
6,457,969
4,090,930
63.35
1995
10,651,520
7,862,952
4,909,201
62.43
2000
12,386,820
9,143,950
5,154,092
56.37
2001
12,566,730
9,276,760
5,202,176
56.08
2002
12,762,440
9,421,233
5,312,908
56.39
2003
12,959,670
9,566,828
5,301,231
55.41
2004
13,139,010
9,699,217
5,392,679
55.60
2005
13,292,860
9,812,789
5,440,926
55.45
2006
13,751,770
10,151,556
5,399,991
53.19
2007
14,218,330
10,495,971
5,916,154
56.37
2008
14,705,700
10,855,747
6,010,462
55.37
2009
15,205,210
11,224,486
6,120,432
54.53
2010
15,716,370
11,601,824
6,268,098
54.03
2011
16,248,100
11,994,347
6,590,913
54.95
2012
16,808,700
12,208,182
6,823,981
55.90
2013
17,388,330
12,436.065
6,921,824
55.66
2014
17,984,680
13,276,290
7,321,212
55.15
2015
18,592,920
13,725,293
7,320,219
53.33
2016
19,221,460
14,289,281
7,141,321
49.98
2017
19,864,850
14,064,232
7,345,011
52.22
2018
20,518,670
15,146,882
7,878,713
52.02
2019
21,190,310
15,942,686
8,145,167
51.09
2020
23,738,797
17,123,979
9,120,910
53.26
Source: KNBS 2020, ILOSTAT 2020, Kenya Labor Force Participation Report, 2018.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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Kenya's youth labor force has been increasing since 1990 due to the high population growth
rate of young people. As indicated in table 3, the youth labor force in the agricultural sector has
been declining and currently stands at 28.47% of the total youth labor force (KNBS 2020,
ILOSTAT 2020, Kenya Labor Force Participation Report, 2018). Though it may seem high,
unemployment increases because the remaining 72% of the youth labor force cannot be absorbed
in the manufacturing and service sectors. İn comparison with other sectors, agriculture has the
highest potential to create employment opportunities and increase food security in Kenya thus
calling for more promotion of youth engagement and employment in the agriculture food systems
(Julia Faria, 2021).
Table 3. Youth Labor Force Engaged in Agriculture
Yeah
Total Youth
Population
Total Youth Labor
Force
Youth Labor Force
in Agriculture
Youth Labor Force
in Agriculture (%)
2020
37,903,312
27,669,418
10,791,073
28.47
2019
35,702,232
28,561,786
11,710,332
32.80
2018
30,468,768
23,765,639
9,743,912
31.98
2017
30,645,622
24,822,954
10,922,100
35.64
2016
28,989,675
23,191,740
10,668,200
36.80
2015
27,900,652
22,878,535
10,981,697
39.36
2010
24,670,789
19,489,923
9,628,022
39.03
2005
15,760,642
12,923,726
6,591,100
41.82
2000
14,576,844
12,536,086
6,769,486
46.44
1995
12,650,642
11,638,591
7,681,470
60.72
1990
11,452,600
10,536,392
6,743,291
58.88
Source: KNBS 2020, ILOSTAT 2020, Kenya Labor Force Participation Report, 2018.
Challenges Hindering Kenyan Youths from Engaging in the Agricultural Sector
Many factors contribute to the transition of youths from agriculture to non-farm jobs. In
addition, many factors discourage young people from participating in any part of the agricultural
sector despite availability of limited job opportunities in Kenya. Some of the most common
challenges hindering youth participation in agriculture and related activities include:
Negative Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Agriculture and Agricultural Enterprises
Many young people in Kenya find agriculture unattractive because of the drudgery, low
yields, and lack of market-oriented agricultural approaches. Additionally, many jobs in the
agricultural sector have a strong seasonal component and are categorized as vulnerable, while
young people need end-to-end income-generating jobs. There are many reasons why young people
have a negative perception and attitude towards agriculture. According to Sambo, W. (2016), the
absence of successful agricultural businesses not only drives young people away from the
agricultural sector but also causes them to believe more that agriculture is not a profession a person
can be proud of. It is also important to note that it negatively affects young people's view of
agriculture (Masłoń-O., Wahome & Njiraini, 2021).
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
8
The negative image created around agricultural activities as a source of livelihood and the
fact that the elderly, who are still engaged in traditional agricultural practices with little success,
dominate agricultural production keep young people away from the sector. Young people have
been found to like activities that are generating income at a faster rate while agriculture production
takes some time. This has pushed youths to seek other income-generating activities away from
agriculture (Wahome and Njiraini, 2021).
Limited Agricultural Innovation, Insufficient Research and Technology Development
Young people in Kenya do not find agriculture attractive because of the high use of
traditional farming techniques. There is limited support for the development and acquisition of
appropriate technologies to modernize agriculture. While the technology used in agricultural
production in the world is developing, young people in Kenya still do not want to participate in
agricultural food systems using traditional farming techniques. Some of the barriers to technology
uptake are: inadequate agricultural research and technology development, insufficient awareness
of current and improved technologies, low funding for youth-specific research, poor research-
expansion linkage leading to low adoption of technologies, and the high cost of some technologies
hinder most young people's access to important technology that could have made it easier for them
to get involved in food systems (Sitawa et al., 2016). Also, they have less knowledge of the
different ways they can be involved in the agricultural value chain.
Low Productivity
The agricultural sector in Kenya is characterized by declining soil fertility, low adoption of
modern technologies, production inefficiencies due to low adoption of mechanization, high post-
harvest losses, pest and disease outbreaks, limited access to relevant inputs and services, poor
management, and inadequate skills (Njeru, Lucy & Gichimu, Bernard. 2014). Large farmland in
Arid and Semi-Arid Soils (ASALs) continues to be underutilized due to over-reliance on rain-fed
agriculture and limited use of modern technologies to unlock the potential. The subsistence
farming approach to agriculture, in contrast to the commercialization approach and limited capital
investment in the sector, exacerbates the problem (Cynthiah P. 2020). All of the above issues
hinder the meaningful and sustainable participation of young people in the agricultural sector.
Limited Value Addition in the Agro-Processing Industry
The agro-processing industry in Kenya is yet to realize its full potential. It is still in its
developing stage which limits job creation capacity that could have been created if there is
effective and sustainable value addition on agricultural products. Most agricultural products are
sold either in their raw form without further processing or in any other form of added value, such
as packaging. This results in limited jobs and income for young people (FAO, 2020).
Factors hindering value addition in the agricultural sector in Kenya;
i. Limited knowledge and skills on how to add value to agricultural products.
ii. Limited knowledge of value-adding technologies.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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iii. Insufficient capacity to meet customers' greater demands and expectations in terms of
quality, standards, quantity, and consistency.
iv. High capital investment requirement, e.g. refrigeration and cold storage installation is
expensive.
Limited Access to Markets
Access to agricultural markets in Kenya especially for small-scale farmers remains a big
challenge. Young people face greater difficulties in accessing agricultural markets due to the
following constraints: Limited access to marketing information, Non-compliance with the
agricultural product and product standards, insufficient markets and marketing infrastructure, Poor
post-harvest management, and insufficient skills in marketing and entrepreneurship. All these
restrictions limit young people involved in the agricultural sector. Inconsistent quality and high
input costs, and low product prices reduce agricultural profitability compared to other sectors.
According to Maurice S., et al. (2019), inefficiencies and high transaction costs involved in the
food value chain, weak farmers' organizations across, and unstructured markets also play an
important role in driving youths away from the agricultural activities.
Inadequate Policies to Support Youth in Agribusiness
Implemented policies do not adequately address youth issues in agriculture and
agribusinesses. According to FAO (2020), young people are not sufficiently engaged in policy
dialogue, which makes the strategies developed less sensitive to the unique needs of youth. There
have been policies and projects that have been implemented over time such as Youth Funds, Kazi
Mtaani , National Youth Service, AjiraDigital Projects and many more projects, youths were not
involved during decision making to present their interests and what can work for them and what
can’t work for them. Also, there have been no major policies supporting youth engagement in
agriculture and agri-enterprises (Himaja N. (2020).
Climate Change
Climate change is a global threat that imposes many constraints on the agricultural sector.
Increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme weather events,
and reductions in water availability result in reduced agricultural productivity. Climate change has
been disrupting food systems in terms of production, availability, accessibility, and also affecting
food quality. Putting climate change's effects on agriculture into consideration lowers profitability
which discourages youths from engaging in agricultural-related activities (Ndungu, 2016). There
is insufficient use of technologies and innovations that increase the resistance of young people to
the negative effects of climate change on agriculture. Moreover, there is limited development and
upscaling of skills and knowledge to match the dynamics of climate change for practitioners in
agriculture (JC, U. 2019).
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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Strategıc Issues, Strategıc Objectıves and Strategıc Interventıons to Increase Youth
Partıcıpatıon and Employment in the Agrıculture Sector.
This section identifies key strategic issues, with associated objectives and strategies
designed to address challenges that prevent young people from participating effectively in the
agricultural sector and its associated value chains. According to Kenya Youth Agribussiness
Strategy 2017-2021, various objectives and interventions have been developed for each strategic
issue.
Strategic issue 1: Negative perception and attitude towards agriculture
Strategic goal 1: Transforming the mindset and perception of youth to agriculture (Maurice S., et
al. 2019).
Strategic interventions:
i. To create innovative information and knowledge sharing networks and platforms on
agriculture
ii. To ensure the integration of agriculture as a subject in the education curriculum to enlighten
the youth about the opportunities in the agricultural sector.
iii. Revitalizing and rebranding farming clubs in schools
iv. Establish a mechanism for industry players to provide feedback to learning institutions on
performance and demand-based training .
v. Establishing campaign platforms to sensitize the general public on the urgent need for
youth to participate in the agricultural sector.
vi. Establishing an awards scheme that rewards young champions in the agribusiness,
ambassadors, and agro-journalism celebrities
Strategic issue 2: Insufficient agricultural knowledge and skills
Strategic objective 2: Equipping young people with appropriate agricultural business skills and
knowledge
Strategic interventions:
i. Implementing youth agribusiness internships and mentoring programs
ii. Building youth capacity on existing and new technical and innovative agribusiness skills.
iii. Developing and operating district agricultural information sharing centers that will focus
on youths
iv. Supporting education and research institutions to use the latest technologies, innovations,
and emerging trends in the agricultural sector
v. Developing and supporting a modern youth-inclusive agricultural advisory service model
vi. Equipping young people with knowledge, skills, and knowledge on Good Agricultural
Practices (GPA). This will help in improving agricultural productivity in returns high
profitability in the sector.
vii. Supporting youth education through sponsorships of agricultural programs in higher
education institutions
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Strategic issue 3: Limited access to affordable financial Services
Strategic goal 3: Increase access to affordable and youth-friendly financial services for
agricultural activities.
Strategic interventions:
i. Developing youth-specific financial models for agricultural enterprises
ii. Developing youth-friendly finance and insurance models to support young agribusinesses
iii. Making use of existing positive funds, such as the Youth fund, the Women's Enterprise
Development Fund, and the Uwezo Fund, to support the participation of youths in
agriculture
iv. Developing a participatory framework for contract farming, including the creation of
cooperatives and groups to support youths to access agriculture financing easily.
v. Building the capacity of young agriculturists in resource mobilization and financial
management skills for agricultural enterprises
Strategic issue 4: Limited access to agricultural land
Strategic goal 4: Increasing youth access, ownership, and effective use of agricultural lands
Strategic interventions:
i. Building and implementing alternative unique land lease models in partnership with county
governments and other stakeholders
ii. Promoting innovative farming practices that optimize land use
iii. Supporting the development and implementation of policy initiatives that review land use
and promote agricultural land consolidation
iv. Raising awareness of land use rights and build trust for young people to own farmland
Strategic issue 5: Limited agricultural innovations and research development
Strategic goal 5: Engaging youths in the research development, and use of innovative agricultural
technologies (Maurice S., et al. 2019).
Strategic interventions:
i. Promoting and disseminating cost-effective and affordable agricultural technologies to
youths
ii. Promoting the participation of young people in the mass production of modern agricultural
machinery to make agricultural activities easier and to reduce post-harvest losses (Cynthiah
P. 2020).
iii. Promote and provide sustainable incentives for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in
Agricultural Research and Development
iv. Developing, disseminating, and involving young people in the use of agricultural
technologies that meet the needs of young people hence encouraging them to engage in
agricultural activities.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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v. To introduce Tech-labs and ICT centers in districts connected to mobile applications to
facilitate access to information such as weather conditions, markets availability, product
prices, and extension services available.
Strategic issue 6: Low Productivity
Strategic objective 6: Increasing access to production factors, use of modern technologies, and
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Strategic interventions:
i. To promote access and use of modern agricultural technologies and mechanization to
increase productivity along selected value chains
ii. Supporting access to water, subsidized agricultural inputs, and services
iii. Promoting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), including irrigation systems and soil
testing, among others
iv. Improved pest and disease monitoring, surveillance, and control methods to help prevent
crop destructions and food loss
v. Developing and implementing sustainable subsidy programs for youth in agriculture
Strategic issue 7: Low-value addition
Strategic goal 7: Empowering youth to participate effectively in agricultural value chain
Strategic interventions:
i. Conducting agricultural value chain analysis to identify potential products and value-
adding processes that young people can easily get involved in
ii. Developing the capacity of young people to start agro-processing companies for value
addition
iii. Establishing agricultural processing pilot units targeting youth in different counties
iv. Developing and scaling appropriate technologies that will help youths in processing
agricultural raw materials, packaging, and transportation hence increasing profit margin
(JC, U. 2019).
v. To provide value-added supportive services, incentives, and infrastructure services
vi. Supporting the establishment of youth-led Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to help to
access affordable technologies that will increase agricultural produce value addition
(Cynthiah P. 2020).
Strategic issue 8: Limited access to market information, insufficient market infrastructure, and
entrepreneurial skills
Strategic goal 8: To improve young people's access to markets and market information.
Strategic interventions:
i. Developing and implementing sustainable market incentive programs for youth in
agribusiness through Public-Private Partnerships
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ii. Developing links/networks for young people to access good agricultural markets
iii. Support the creation and strengthening of structured market platforms where young people
will be well promoted (Maurice S., et al. 2019).
iv. Supporting group formation by youths to increasing their purchasing and bargaining power
and opportunities
v. Developing the capacities of young people in market-driven agricultural enterprises
vi. Support development and access to market infrastructure and information
vii. Collaborative review and integration of agricultural output information platforms
viii. Facilitate registration, standardization, and traceability of agricultural products to improve
market efficiency.
Strategic issue 9: Adverse effects of climate change and poor environmental governance
Strategic goal 9: Promote youth adaption of climate-smart agriculture technologies and effective
use of resources
Strategic interventions:
i. Raising youth awareness on climate change and global warming effects
ii. Developing and associating youth with coping strategies with climate change
iii. Promoting climate-smart technologies in the agricultural sector
iv. Building youth capacity on advocacy and environmental protection measures
v. Promote the dissemination of real-time information on weather-related issues and their
impact on agribusiness.
CONCLUSION
Although a significant proportion of young people still earn their living from agriculture, the
rate of youth withdrawal from agriculture to other sectors is very high. The workforce withdrawn
from agriculture has gravitated towards the service sector, which is more evident among educated
youth though it's not enough to accommodate all the workforce hence leading to high
unemployment rates. Research findings reveal that youth should be targeted based on their
aspirations and resource availability to increase their capacities and participation in the agricultural
sector. A large number of young people are likely to stay on the family estate, such a category has
access to land, but needs skills and capital to invest in high-value agricultural enterprises. Young
people are disenfranchised in the ownership and management of critical assets in agricultural
production, particularly land. The majority of young people use land without exclusive property
rights. This not only limits their investment in the land but may also limit their access to loans that
are secured against title deeds.The agricultural value chain can provide opportunities to empower
youth in agriculture. A range of policies can be used to make the sector more attractive to young
people, including farming and agribusiness based education, infrastructure improvements,
mechanization programs, advanced storage to prevent post-harvest losses, financing and input
subsidies, and export promotion programs that help young people to participate more in
international agricultural markets. Digital technology is another important empowerment tool that
can enable greater participation of youth in agriculture and increase agricultural productivity.
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural Research 2022; Vol: 6, Issue: 1, pp:1-16
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While digital innovation in agriculture will offer opportunities for young skilled people,
technologies such as mobile money that expand financial service delivery are helping to bridge the
gap in access to finance. The development of the agricultural sector will have positive effects on
reducing the youth unemployment rate, increasing economic development, reducing migration
from rural to urban areas, and strengthening peace and national security not only for Kenya but
also for other African countries. However, to tap into these potentials, stakeholders must think
beyond understanding youth as units of the workforce to be placed in jobs. Effective youth
empowerment and participation in agriculture requires the industry's ability to meet the
expectations, and aspirations of young people, and to incorporate technology and engage them at
all stages of the agricultural value chain and agricultural policies development processes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There was no funding involved.Both authors contributed substantially to the research design,
data collection, data analysis, write-up and editing of the manuscript. The submitted version is
checked and approved by both authors. The authors confirm that there are no conflicts of interest.
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