YOUTH & AGRICULTURE: Kenyan youth discovers promising future in farming.

Rural youths are the future of food security. Yet around the world, few young people see a future for themselves in agriculture in rural areas. Rural youths face many hurdles in trying to earn a livelihood.

Pressure on arable land is high in many parts of the world, making it difficult top start a farm. Youth often lack access to credit and many other productive resources necessary for agriculture. But even if such hurdles can be overcome, isn’t rural life cooler? Perhaps, but not when you cannot make a living there, particularly in developing countries, rural youth find themselves in such a bind.

Such is the story of Isaac Ntimama Sokoini came to Nkama farm at the Wezesha Agri program in Loitoktok in search of a job as a security gourd. And while he got offered the job, while there he discovered his greatest passion…agriculture!

“I wanted to further my education and go to university but I couldn’t afford it. When I heard they needed a day security gourd to work here at Wezesha farm, I quickly grabbed the opportunity. Now am saving up my income for my education,” said Isaac.

Isaac a youth in his early twenties did his KCSE in March 2022 and performed fairly well. His love for agriculture had him take the course and earned himself a B+ grade… While his humble family background limited him, as fate would have it. His job as a day gourd later turned out as a blessing in disguise. As he worked at the farm, he also got an opportunity to go to class and train on climate smart farm approaches.

“When I started to work here, I discovered there were farmers coming to learn from the demonstration farm every Thursday. I asked Mr. James Kimani, the farm manager if I could join the classes every Thursday and he agreed. I got someone to sit in for me every time I had classes to attend” Says a brilliant Isaac.

Isaac has been in the Wezesha training sessions for the last four months. He along other youths and women approximately 500 in total recently completed there training and will be graduating today. The group is set to go and implement what they have learnt back in their households.

“Through the training I have learned about kitchen gardening, types of crops to grow, kind of manure to use, crop protection, solar energy and how one can save energy by using solar powered saving machines among many other agricultural practices. Now I am empowered!” Said Ntimama.

                                                                                 Isaac Ntimama on duty at Wezesha agri farm Nkama, Loitoktok.

Africa Instore Solutions is the implementing partner of the Wezesha Agri project along its main among them the county Government of Kajiado, Digifarm limited, Giz Energizing Development programme in Kenya (giz EnDev) and Safaricom Foundation have a target to empower at least 100,000 youths in the region in next three years…And Isaac along many others are lucky to be one of the beneficiaries this far.

“We are so grateful to AIS, GIZ EnDev, Digifarm and Safaricom Foundation, we are truly empowered” Says Peris Wambui a woman farmer.

“I came here as a security gourd but AIS along its partners have re-written my story. Now I am a youth farmer! Someday, I would love to be a farm manager managing my own farm. I am truly grateful to AIS for believing in me” adds Isaac Ntimama.

As the living costs in Kenya continue to spiral and as hundreds of youths in Kenya struggle to make ends meet due to unemployment, all hope is not lost for youths in Kajiado like Isaac Ndimama Sokoini.

Africa Instore Solutions (AIS) is a local for profit enterprise, which supports micro, small and medium sized Enterprises (MSE’s) with commercial based solutions through enterprise development programs.

AIS works with MSME’s to build their capacity to competitively engage and scale in the market place. AIS collaborates as an implementation partner with various organizations that focus on supporting MSMEs including small holder farmers improve productivity and realize profitability from their farm investments.