FAO Supports Youth in Agribusiness Trade Fair
More than 200 young agripreneurs and producers from Siaya and Kakamega counties attended the Youth in Agribusiness Trade Fair on 28th April to showcase their innovations, network, and engage in peer-to-peer learning. Youth organizations and partners undertaking youth-centered agriculture projects in the two counties were also present. The event featured exhibitions, panel discussions, and an award ceremony honoring the best youth agripreneur innovations.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized the one day Youth Trade Fair in collaboration with the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, County Governments of Siaya and Kakamega, as part of the project - Integrated Country Approach for Boosting Decent Jobs for Youth in the Agrifood System funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
FAO’s Country Representative Ambassador Carla Mucavi stated that, "this is not the first trade fair we are supporting. We intend to continue holding more trade fairs and documenting success stories that will attract more youth to embrace agriculture.” The Siaya County CEC for Agriculture, Food, Irrigation, Livestock and Fisheries Mr. Sylvester K'Okoth said, “There are so many agricultural value chains that our youth can engage in and still appear decent both in mind and in body.”
Black Soldier Fly Production by Youth
The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) production was showcased by Chrispinus Aenza and Josephine Maloba from the Visionary Youth Group, and BSF value-added products. Edmond Kasaya and Clius Watiti from the Bidii Fish Farm demonstrated fish handling and fingerling production. Fruits, ground nuts, and green vegetables value chains were alsoon display.
Over the last three years, the Integrated Country Approach (ICA) project has collaborated with Siaya and Kakamega Counties on several transformative initiatives, including a Youth-sensitive Value Chain Assessment and the domestication of the National Youth in Agribusiness Strategy (2018-2022) into the Siaya County Youth in Agribusiness Strategy (2022-2027).
At the programmatic level, based on the youth-inclusive value chain assessment conducted, the ICA project supported more than 90 youth groups and 1100 individual young agripreneurs or producers. Women constituted 43 percent of the participants who have been supported to access identified opportunities along the prioritized value chains of dairy, soya, fish (aquaculture) and poultry in Kakamega; poultry, mango, avocado, and fish (aquaculture) in Siaya.
Innovations related to access to land for example land leasing option by polytechnics, linkages with private sector (e.g., Letter of Intent signed with Agricycle for mango exports), and digital incubation in partnership with Kuza - an organization offering small business learning, training, and entrepreneurship empowerment to rural communities in Africa. Through the project, FAO distribute nursery equipment, poultry feeds, and dehydrators to youth involved in the value chain, as well as hand sanitizers, masks, thermometers, gloves and hand washing points to 271 youth and women -led enterprises to help them comply with COVID-19 prevention.
The Trade Fair provided an opportunity for the youth, private sector, and other agriculture sector players and government organizations to discuss ways of improving youth involvement in agriculture. Access to agricultural production inputs, access to finance, market, and technology; were recommended as ways of attracting youth into agriculture. Agricultural organizations were encouraged to invest in youth to develop their skills and invest back into the economy.
During the Trade Fair, exhibitors sold their products, made market connections, and partnerships. For “During the trade fair I have been linked to a Kakamega Organic Fertilizer Producer; I am very happy at the business opportunity because of this exhibition” said Claudia Warinda from Siaya County.
Award Winners
Milka Abidha from Siaya county won second best exhibitor title in the trade fair due to his innovations in the Africa leafy vegetable and fruit tree nursery. Phillip, also from Siaya demonstrated business acumen in fruit tree production and won the best youth exhibitor award. Brenda and Erick Arunga from Outlanders Youth SFG, who displayed their integrated aquaculture systems, Mark Mbithi and Felix Mochache from Ingavira Cash SHF, who demonstrated off their innovation in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) value addition, and Risper Akhwale and Daisy Khajidi from Organi Ventures, whose innovation is in organic fertilizer, were among the young people from Kakamega who were also recognized for their innovations. The awards were cash prizes ranging between Ksh 20,000 and Ksh 30,000.