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By Monica MUEMA
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperatives, the agriculture sector is a source of income for 18 million Kenyans, making up about 64%of the country’s workforce and employing an estimated 70% of the rural population. A recent skills gap survey by BrighterMonday Kenya has, however, revealed that the agri-food industry lacks the cutting-edge technical skills needed to expand at scale.
With a noticeable dearth of technically savvy on-farm skills like animal production and farm management and off-farm opportunities in sales and enterprise, entrepreneurs in the agri-food business would benefit from bespoke capacity-building programs.
Six months ago, BrighterMonday Kenya launched the “Vijana na Kilimo” project aimed at upskilling youth (18-35yrs) and connecting 10,000 youth in western Kenya to job opportunities in the agri-food sector.
Over 6,500 have signed up so far, to build their capacities and access agricultural job opportunities, thereby bridging the widening gaps between farms and the agric ecosystem. 500 internships have been committed, with 39 youths already placed.