In agro-ecological terms, Kenya is a highly diverse country. Only about 20 per cent of the country’s land is classed as medium to high potential and this supports high population densities. The remainder is mainly arid or semi-arid and supports only a small proportion of the country’s population.

Reflecting the high degree of agro-ecological diversity within the country, the agriculture sector accounts for 65 per cent of national exports and 70 per cent of informal employment in rural Kenya, and provides livelihood to about 80 per cent of the population.

Even though the country has relatively well-developed manufacturing, tourism and services sectors, the Kenyan economy remains highly dependent on agriculture as a source of  both employment and foreign exchange. In realisation of the role played by agriculture in the life of the nation, the economic pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030 clearly captures the means of increasing value in agriculture so as to revitalise the sector.

The country anticipates increasing income in agriculture, livestock and fisheries by processing and thereby adding value to her products before they reach the market so as to enable the producers to compete with the best in other parts of the world. The value addition will be done through innovative, commercially oriented and modern techniques in agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors. A number of flag ship projects have been identified to drive the process.

Unemployment

Unemployment among the youth is one of the most acute problems affecting developing countries like Kenya. According to the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), unemployment percentage in this country stands at 12 per cent of the current workforce which is approximately 15 million people. Can revitalising agriculture through value addition create jobs for this group? What value addition concepts will entice the youth to engage in agriculture for their livelihood?

In a recent event, a number of children below 12 years were asked what they intend to be in future and the answers were telling. The careers frequently mentioned were doctor, engineer, teacher, footballer etc. There was no mention of farmer or veterinarian. If you ask a small boy or girl what he or she intends to be in the future, the answers will most likely be the same. But when they grow up, some of them (in the low proportion) begin to be interested in agriculture, most of the times not because they have really loved agriculture, but because agriculture has become their last choice. And my question is why? Mostly because people have in their minds that agriculture is for rural people.

Apathy

The youth in this country have seen their parents struggle to put food on the table and to educate them. The meagre earnings derived from agriculture and use of life draining mediocre technology makes them shudder at the thought of making a career in agriculture. The one million dollar question is, can we demonstrate to the youth that value addition in agriculture can be just as lucrative as any other blue chip business they admire and that one can also have fun while at it?

Where are the statistics and how can we demonstrate that lucrative markets can be developed? One thing that has been learnt over the years is that enhancing agricultural production is not rocket science. It just requires ensuring one has efficient and appropriate technology and inputs to produce quality products when and if required and the ability to access lucrative and sustainable markets that are the major stumbling block

It is now widely accepted that the formal economy is unable to create enough employment opportunities to absorb the constant supply of labour-seeking youth. The solution to this multilevel problem will require a great deal of coordination and deft thinking so as to attract gadget loving and efficiency prone young people into value addition in the agricultural sector.

Amongst the most trendy and perhaps viable solutions being touted today is greater youth involvement in rural development through agri-business (not agriculture) which can be attained through focused training. However, youth participation in the agriculture sector in many developing countries is very low, largely because the sector is highly unattractive due to risks, costs, inefficiency and its labour intensive nature. As such, motivating the youth to view agriculture as a career opportunity will require a multi-level intervention.

Farming is cool

There ought to be the creation of on-going initiatives like the Youth and Uwezo funds to support youth in value adding agricultural enterprises and opportunities to showcase their successes in order to attract more young people.

I believe there is a need to reshape our institutions of learning as pertaining agricultural curriculum. Changing the “agriculture is for the old and a poor man’s profession” mindset is a gradual process and a credible practical education is needed to impart agribusiness and entrepreneurship skills to students while they are still young. The agricultural shows we attended impacted us in a given way towards the opportunities in agriculture.

While more money should be invested in our agricultural training institutions to modernise their training approach so that they can attract higher enrolments, field visits to young farmers involved in rabbit rearing, greenhouses, fish farming, keeping of dairy cows or such value adding agribusiness endeavours as well as electronic networking with other young farmers will offer a better chance of training the youth to take up value adding farming.

Tree farming, the new frontier

On my desk I have a current invitation to become passive owner of a forest park in Oloropil, Narok county by a group pioneering value adding bamboo farming in gated community of forests. The promoters say they are modelling the experience from China, where such approaches have turned communities into millionaires within a generation.

In their literature, they are inviting me to put in Sh560,000 to buy two acres of land and another Sh280,000 for the management service that makes me a passive forest owner. They reckon that one acre of bamboo will give me the first harvest in five years and annually thereafter for the next forty years. The numbers look very inviting. They say that one acre can produce 30 tons per year which can fetch me Sh1.5 million every year from my two acres. And that for another 40 years? Tell me the catch.

This productivity is anchored in the believe that if they set up a value adding factory in Narok, they will be able to produce and sell a good number of products including bamboo shoots as a food item (a delicacy in China), construction materials such as plywood, veneer, block boards, scaffolding and high end flooring tiles, manufacture of furniture, paper, clothing and a variety of household accessories, production of fencing posts and props for use in horticulture farms, briquettes and other charcoal products for fuels as well as a wide range of ornamental items like phone covers. Should we interrogate such model that have worked elsewhere and use it to create wealth for our people?

In conclusion, I can guarantee that agricultural development will only be achieved when young people are fully integrated in the sector. We have to understand that embracing technology does not mean Twitter and Facebook, these are only means of communication and networking. Employing modern technology which gives agriculture in Kenya a new look is what will attract young people. Technologies like greenhouses, precision farming technologies and other technologies along the agriculture value chains are what will make agriculture cool and different from how our parents and grandparents did it.

It is in value adding that we will create the jobs and make the money. We have to feed the nation.

Wahome Ngari – Principal Consultant/ CEO, Citadel Consulting Ltd.
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