By George Munene
The Safaricom Foundation Youth in Agribusiness programme is continuing its efforts to fund youth and women engaged in agriculture giving Sh32 million to 800 youth in Oloitokitok, Kajiado county and funding a further 50 young women in Bungoma county getting into poultry farming.
The youth in Kajiado have been given land, agricultural inputs and infrastructure as well as agronomic learning content. This will support them in growing rainfed high-value crops i.e. tomatoes, onions and sunflower.
Related News: Safaricom partners with livestock association to host agribusiness trade fair in Homa Bay County
Related News: Agriculture ministry launches SMS platform to enable farmers receive Fall Armyworm alerts
This forms part of a pilot programme that has been running for five months giving Kenyan youth (18-35-year-olds), 38.9 per cent of whom are unemployed, accesses to input loans of between Sh5,000 – Sh20,000 depending on the agricultural value chain level they are engaged in. This forms the foundation’s first step which has a view of scaling up the program to other parts of the country in the coming months.
Those producing high-value crops will receive financial support to increase access to water and improve irrigation systems. Additionally, the programme provides the farmers access to a guaranteed market for their produce at favourable rates.
Related News: Nairobi-based mobile commerce agriculture startup receives $627,000 in seed funding
Frankline Okata, Trustee, Safaricom Foundation said of the program; “There is an opportunity for us to create employment for youth and increase their productivity in the agricultural sector. Through this programme, we are reinforcing that farming is a viable and dignified source of livelihood, not a retirement option.”
To apply for funding:
Email: thefoundation@safaricom.co.ke
Related posts:
- Fact Sheet on Pepino melon farming From an initial investment of Sh75, 000 a farmer investing in one acre of pepino...
- Research Institute Develops Juice from ‘Mukombero plant’ Value addition for ‘Mukombero plant’ into a ready to drink juice will enable consumers to take...
- Beyond Access: Breaking Barriers for Women in Agriculture I first met Memory in Kasungu, in the Northern part of Malawi. Memory, a...
- Malaa farmer turns his kid’s rabbit keeping hobby into thriving business By George Munene At Navina Rabbit Farm, George Kanyingi’s herd of over 400 rabbits is...
- How Limuru farmer earns Sh9,000 weekly from 40*100 managu plot By George Munene On a 40*100 piece of land you can harvest up to 300...
- 200 Kenya agriculture students get 11 month Israel internship By George Munene 200 Kenyan agriculture students will join Israeli Arava International Center for Agricultural...