How rural youth are creating jobs, firms in agri-food value chains

Robert Mwangi was initially working as an auditor in 2018 after graduating from Egerton University.

But he felt the money was not enough. The presence of bees in their home, which was now becoming a nuisance, happened to be an opportunity that he needed to supplement his income. They were the new cash cow.

He set up some beehives.

One year later, he harvested honey equivalent to his salary, and this reignited his passion for farming. “I did not feed them (bees), I did not protect them, and they provided for me an income, and that is when I made up my mind to quit my job and engage in farming,” he said.

He established CAMLPO Ltd in 2021, based in Njoro, Nakuru County and has never looked back. However, Mwangi, who is the CAMLPO Managing Director, realised that he could only harvest honey once or thrice a year, and to ensure a steady income, he ventured into poultry farming.

But the cost of feed was high.

The challenges made Mwangi start rethinking his farming venture. Luckily, he was enrolled in the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-funded Jobs Open to the Youth (JOY) project in 2022, where he received training on how to make organic fertiliser using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology.

Partnering with other stakeholders in agriecology and organic farming, he was able to gain more knowledge on how to produce organic fertiliser.

He collects 25 tonnes of waste from Nakuru County markets and homes, which he uses to make the organic fertiliser. Mwangi first sorts out the waste to remove inorganic matter and grinds it into tiny particles, which are stored for two days to decompose.

“Most people see waste as waste, but we see it as a resource that is profitable,” he says. The waste is then fed to the BSF larvae for between 14 to 18 days to allow it to grow to maturity. “BSF consumes waste and turns it into organic fertiliser, which enhances soil health,” he says.

The larvae are then separated from the waste after converting it into frass.  Mwangi says 95 per cent of the BSF larvae is used to make high-protein animal feed, while five per cent is allowed to go into the full circle to lay eggs and produce more larvae.

The frass (insect excrement) is then mixed with organic matter, including animal manure, to make good organic matter, which is then allowed to decompose for another 14 days to make fertiliser. Mwangi packs the organic fertiliser in 25kg and 50kg bags, which he sells for between Sh1800 and Sh2000. He says one acre of land needs up to 150kg of organic fertiliser.

The organic fertiliser is packaged under the brand name Nawiri. “Organic fertiliser is an impactful solution to farming and ensures production of clean food,” he says.

He gives the animal feed to the chicken, which has seen his poultry farming thrive.

However, Mwangi regrets that the organic fertiliser faces resistance from the majority of farmers who are used to synthetic fertilisers. “Organic fertiliser ensures farmers produce clean food, and awareness is needed to shift the mindsets of farmers to embrace this eco-friendly solution to crop production,” he says.

Organic fertiliser

 He says transport is also another challenge since it’s costly to transport the waste from Nakuru to Njoro. “We transport the waste from Nakuru to Njoro, and it’s quite costly. We are looking to acquire vehicles with a bigger capacity to ensure we transport more waste,” he says.

Mwangi notes that the government has yet to develop organic fertiliser standards to make it readily acceptable in the market. Currently, CAMLPO has employed two waste collectors, two agripreneurs, four permanent employees and six casual workers.

The company engages in circulatory agricultural innovations based on BSF and bukashi technology, which produce organic fertiliser and BSF-based animal protein.

“I am very passionate about agriculture and having learnt about the circulatory system, and being in harmony with how nature works, you can create a good income from that,” he says.

For Lenah Mwangi, who also engages in argriprenuership, the journey has been long but fulfilling. She started volunteering as a trainer of trainers, where she learned about agronomy.

Lenah is the founder of Inuka AgriSolution, which started in 2019 as a self-help group comprising Egerton University alumni, where they engage in farmer training and link them to partners and markets.

In 2021, she was on-boarded on the IFAD-funded JOY project, where she trained together with her team as Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) for young entrepreneurs.

In 2023, she finished the incubation and registered Inuka AgriSolution as a company. She trained 15 students in agronomy by the end of 2023.

“Seven are now successfully running their own enterprises, while the rest are in wage employment. Among those self-employed, some ventured into value addition, one started black soldier fly farming, and another focused on agri-tech and digital marketing. We continue to follow up and provide refresher trainings or link them to opportunities to earn and grow,” she says.

Livestock farming

Lenah is currently working with over 1,000 smallholder farmers across different value chains, including potatoes, maize, and cereals.

Lenah also partners with Egerton University to train students on agronomy and livestock farming and links them to farmers for hands-on experience.

“The farmers gain new knowledge from students, while students get exposure working with the community,” she says.

Lenah urges young people to exploit opportunities in the agricultural sector. “You can work in logistics, processing, packaging, or value addition. Even slicing, drying, or branding farm produce for busy urban consumers is agribusiness. The opportunities are endless,” she says.

IFAD Country Director Kenya Mariatu Kamara says that the agri-food system is enticing to young agriprenuers, and they need to be supported to fully exploit the sector.

“We must make agriculture something that youth want to work in,” she says.

IFAD Programme Manager Brian Chipili reveals that Kenya has performed well, creating 5,000 jobs through the JOY project.

Implemented under the BRCA SUA consortium alongside Ustadi Foundation and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Chipili said the JOY programme established youth training and innovation hubs at Egerton University, Pwani University and Shamberere Technical Training Institute in Kakamega county.

“These hubs conduct value chain analyses, labour market studies, and short, practical training sessions aligned to local employment needs,” Chipili says.

Mariantu says the agribusiness hubs supported by Germany provide incubation, mentorship and trade linkages for youth-led enterprises across Eastern and Southern Africa.

Speaking during the IFAD Policy and Partnership Forum on Scaling Youth Employment through Systems Change in Naivasha, Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Salim Mvurya noted that already, about 30 per cent of new jobs annually are emerging from agriculture and agribusiness, driven by youth entrepreneurs using digital tools, green practices, and inclusive value chain innovations

“The youth of Africa are not waiting for opportunity. They are creating it. What they need is an ecosystem that believes in them. This momentum must now be sustained through coordinated action, financing, and policy coherence,” he said.