Food Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) in collaboration with funders AGRA through and Youth Employment From Food and Agriculture has moved in to empower African youths in participating in agribusiness.
The organisation will engage the youths aged 35 and under through a series of webinar series to mentor them in aspects of agribusiness.
FANRPAN Policy and Research Analyst Dr Rachel Mkandawire disclosed this during a webinar the organisation held recently to promote the partcipation of youth in agriculture.
“The webinar series is meant to empower African youths by providing them with mentorship opportunities in the agribusiness sector, showcasing success stories from experienced agripreneurs and highlighting viable value chains to encourage their active participation in the industry, ultimately fostering sustainable food systems across the continent,” she said.
Guest speaker of the webinar, Elizabeth Swai, who is founder of AKM Glitters Poultry Limited of Tanzania highlighted the success of her company from humble beginnings.
She said the poultry company has a development wing which engages 580 women agents and working with 1.2 million smallholder poultry keepers in the Tanzania.
To underline the company’s initiative to amplify the efforts of FANRPAN to woo the youth in agribusiness, AKM is committed to empowering the youth and women in Kenya to venture into poultry farming.
In Malawi, there is a growing rise of people taking up farming as business, noticeably the youth and women.
One such a youth is a 22-year-old woman Enifa Kuwani, who is making great strides in farming and has big plans for herself with support from organisations such as FANRPAN.
In an interview, Enifa who is based in Malawi’s Central Region district of Ntcheu, is doing sweet and Irish potatoes farming, goat and chicken, doves at a small scale.
She said she was drawn into farming at an early age, three years ago aged 19 because she was raised in a farming family.
