Sowing Seeds of Change Through Sustainable Agriculture

Youth agripreneurship in Africa is reshaping the continent’s agricultural landscape. Across the region, young innovators are addressing systemic challenges with bold, forward-thinking solutions. The Community of Practice (CoP) Youth Agripreneurship initiative brings together practitioners and youth champions to empower agripreneurs and foster collaboration. This initiative goes beyond farming—it is about building a resilient support system that equips young people to spearhead meaningful change across the continent.

Youth agripreneurship in Africa faces major obstacles as young African entrepreneurs encounter hoops and hurdles while trying to launch and establish their businesses. From inadequate policy support to restricted access to essential resources and market insights, they are hindered by systemic barriers that can stifle their innovative ideas and aspirations. The challenges in the agricultural sector are especially significant. Such obstacles can discourage even the most passionate individuals from pursuing their dreams of building sustainable businesses.

To address these challenges, initiatives like the Community of Practice (CoP) Youth Agripreneurship bring together practitioners and organisations committed to fostering youth agripreneurship. This network includes youth champions and mentors vital in empowering young agripreneurs across Africa. Spearheaded by the Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP), the CoP aims to enhance the capacity of practitioners and youth champions to provide more effective support for youth-led ventures.

It offers joint learning and exchange, showcases best practices, and advocates for addressing the critical challenges young agripreneurs face across Africa. Through its efforts, it fosters a collaborative environment for practitioners, equipping them with insights and tools to develop effective youth agripreneurship programmes. Through this, young innovators gain opportunities to share ideas, learn, and improve their livelihoods.

According to Bente Meindertsma, a Knowledge Broker at the NFP, 160 individuals have been invited to participate in CoP’s learning sessions, averaging sixty to seventy attendees per session. Most of these are youth from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Bente’s insights highlight several critical aspects of the initiative that are essential for understanding its impact and objectives, particularly its ability to engage in meaningful discussions about market access challenges. The initiative has created a vital platform where entrepreneurs can connect with local institutions, sector organisations, and policymakers from local governments.

The CoP emerged from a comprehensive participatory research project, conducted in collaboration with the INCLUDE Knowledge Platform and The Broker. Central to this process was a youth-led Reference Group comprising representatives from key youth-led networks and associations across East Africa. This group was instrumental in shaping the research focus and validating the accuracy of the findings as they unfolded, contributing valuable insight into the realities of youth agripreneurship in Africa.

Catalytic Support

In Kenya, Valentine Maina, VSO Resilient Livelihoods Project Officer, provides an in-depth overview of the operational structure, work processes, and group dynamics of Kenya’s CoP, with which she collaborates. VSO, a CoP member in Kenya, is an international development organisation that mobilises local, national, and global volunteers to work with marginalised and vulnerable communities.

Its mission focuses on addressing hunger, food insecurity, and inequalities while improving education and healthcare systems worldwide. Representing VSO International in the CoP, Valentine leverages the platform to strengthen its youth-focused programmes by adopting innovative strategies to support young agripreneurs and vulnerable groups.

She says, ‘As a young advocate, I am passionate about empowering small-scale farmers, particularly the vibrant youth who work tirelessly to sustain their livelihoods and combat climate change. Joining the CoP last year amplified my efforts, providing a platform to highlight the innovative strides Kenyan youth are making in overcoming agribusiness challenges.’

She continues, ‘This experience has strengthened my commitment to prioritising the needs of vulnerable youth. By integrating insights from CoP into my work with VSO, I strive to empower young people to access inclusive opportunities, advocate for their rights, and engage in sustainable agricultural practices that build resilience and drive lasting change.’ The NFP plays a pivotal role in the CoP initiative, acting as a bridge that connects young entrepreneurs across Africa to critical resources, knowledge, and networks essential for their growth.

Valentine mentions that while not all attendees are involved in agriculture, most engage in agriculture-related ventures. ‘Many focus on value chain addition, such as young farmers in Makueni working with baobab, tamarind, and flour production. Others run tree nurseries or adopt agroecological practices like mango farming. In Kilifi, youth groups diversify into producing fish cookies, managing fish ponds, and establishing mangrove nurseries.’ These efforts reflect the creativity and diversity within youth agripreneurship in Africa.

She has observed significant progress, noting the youth have developed greater confidence and a stronger voice in expressing their challenges and needs. They have become more active in public forums and policy discussions, striving to influence decisions that shape the future of their businesses. Valentine also sheds light on the ‘interface meetings,’ referred to by CoP members as hybrid policy dialogues.

Combining in-person and digital engagement, these sessions provide young agripreneurs with a platform to voice their concerns and engage directly with policymakers. Organised as part of CoP initiatives in Kenya, these dialogues build on earlier youth forums where young entrepreneurs interacted with key stakeholders, including county government officials and private sector representatives.

‘An interface dialogue brings everyone into the same space, creating a platform for youth to express their concerns directly to stakeholders,’ she explains. ‘These sessions encourage honest discussions and foster a sense of urgency around addressing youth issues. We also urge the youth to relay these concerns to their leaders, just as they share them with us. This approach helps create a unified message that amplifies their voices.’

These meetings have proven to be highly impactful. For instance, Valentine highlights a dialogue in Makueni County where county government officials informed the youth about various programmes designed to support young agripreneurs. Among them was the ‘Ujuzi Teketeke’ (Skills-on-the-Go) programme, an informal apprenticeship initiative aimed at equipping young people with occupational competencies to enhance their employment prospects and earning potential.

‘Having representatives from the county government, including a director from the Department of Youth and Gender, as well as officials from the Departments of Agriculture and Trade, engaging directly with community members is invaluable,’ she adds. ‘Through these interactions, VSO volunteers, food system advocates, and other champions have played a pivotal role in shaping policies on agroecology, climate change, and disability inclusion. Their efforts have also contributed to developing national frameworks like the National Youth Policy and the National Agroecology Strategy, ensuring that young people’s voices are meaningfully represented in these crucial discussions.’

Tanzanian Trailblazer

Among the many success stories emerging from the CoP is that of Frank Kisamo, a determined agripreneur from Tanzania. His story is one of vision, resilience, and an unwavering connection to his roots. Born to farmers in a small Tanzanian village, the 23-year-old’s early life was deeply intertwined with the land. But as he grew older, he began to feel a growing unease—the traditional farming methods his family used were taking a toll on the land.

The over-reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides degraded the soil and left an indelible mark on the environment he loved. Frank’s inspiring journey and the personal challenges he has faced reveal a blend of nostalgia and determination as he reflects on how far he has come. His story began unfolding in 2021 during the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the lockdowns forced him to return home from college a turning point that would eventually link his work to the larger movement of youth agripreneurship in Africa.

But what initially seemed like a setback turned into a pivotal point. Helping his family on the farm, he could not shake the question that haunted him: ‘Why are we spraying chemicals on our food, only to wait days before it is safe to eat? There has to be a better way.’ What started as a personal reflection soon ignited a passion to challenge the status quo in agriculture.

With nothing more than a dream and determination, the then 20-year-old founded Kilimo Sustainable Movement (KSM) in 2021, a startup that produces organic fertiliser from compost food and organic waste. He was ideating and developing a prototype for his product business at this stage. His goal was clear: to make organic fertilisers accessible to smallholder farmers while promoting sustainable agricultural techniques like urban farming and agroecology.

His eyes light up as he speaks about KSM’s early days. He officially registered it as a company the following year, transitioning it from being a sole proprietorship. This allowed him to expand his distribution and scale up his operations. As Kilimo began gaining traction, Frank sought opportunities to grow his social capital, develop his skills, and grow his business. In 2023, he joined the CoP, where he found a platform to network with other young agripreneurs dedicated to sustainable agriculture.

His involvement in the hybrid policy dialogues, alongside other youth champions, opened doors to new learning opportunities, where he shared insights on overcoming systemic barriers such as market access and policy challenges. CoP’s in-person dialogues in Tanzania gave him a network of like-minded young entrepreneurs, allowing him to share ideas and experiences with peers equally passionate about driving positive change in their communities.

One of his most significant changes after joining the CoP was a shift in his business model. Initially, he had worked directly with individual farmers, but he soon realised that working with groups of farmers could have a more significant impact. This group-based model made it easier for farmers to share knowledge and replicate sustainable practices within their communities, amplifying KSM’s reach and effectiveness.

Today, KSM produces around 1.5 tonnes of green fertiliser every two months, a massive achievement for a startup that began with a simple desire to help a local village. Frank now leads a team of four shareholders, three full-time workers, and 21 volunteers.

Barriers Navigated

While his organic fertiliser movement was slowly gaining traction, he turned to social media to amplify his message. ‘I like showcasing what I am doing on social media,’ he says. His online presence became a platform for sharing his experiences, challenges, and victories as an entrepreneur in the sustainable agriculture space. Gradually, he began to receive financial and moral support from those who believed in his cause and in the broader mission of youth agripreneurship in Africa..

However, the road to success has not been without its challenges. He notes that KSM faces tough competition from industrial fertiliser companies, particularly since these companies are already well-established in Tanzania. Additionally, scaling up production remains a crucial hurdle, especially in acquiring more efficient machinery and streamlining processes for faster and scaled-up production.

Despite these hardships, Frank’s achievements have been recognised far and wide. He smiles with quiet pride as he recalls KSM being named ‘Startup of the Year’ in 2022 at the Tanzania Youth Emerging Awards. In 2023, he was honoured with the title of ‘Agriculture Youth Influencer.’ KSM has also won multiple innovation competitions, such as the Arusha Institute of Finance awards.

Aside from his work with eco-friendly fertilisers, he is a passionate advocate for climate change awareness. He believes eco-friendly farming techniques are vital for food security and essential in mitigating the effects of climate change. He explains, ‘We need to think beyond just farming for today. We need to preserve the environment for future generations, and that is why organic farming and agroecology are so important to me.’ His advocacy aligns closely with the principles driving youth agripreneurship in Africa.

As a climate change advocate, one of the crowning moments of his career thus far came when he was selected to represent Tanzanian youth at COP28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This opportunity has given him a global platform to advocate for using sustainable agricultural practices and the critical role of young people in shaping the future of food security.

His success is driven by passion, practical experience, and commitment to continuous growth. When asked about his vision for the future, he confidently outlines his goals. In the next five years, he envisions Kilimo expanding its presence across Tanzania and neighbouring countries, making its organic fertilisers widely accessible to smallholder farmers. He aims for KSM to become a leader in the organic fertiliser industry, promoting sustainable farming practices that enhance food security and support environmental health in the region—contributing meaningfully to the advancement of youth agripreneurship in Africa.

To other young entrepreneurs, he advises starting small and taking action. ‘I believe in the power of youth, and I know they can achieve great things that will make the nation and the world proud. However, we often lack the confidence to take the first step and turn our ideas into action.’ He emphasises the importance of gaining expertise in a specific field through advocacy or direct experience and using that knowledge to address local challenges—especially within the growing landscape of youth agripreneurship in Africa.

Frank’s story is a powerful testament to how youth-led innovation can transform agriculture. From helping his family during the pandemic to the impressive growth of KSM and international recognition as a climate change advocate, his journey exemplifies the impact that determined young entrepreneurs can have on their communities and beyond.

In an industry fraught with challenges, Frank Kisamo and other young agripreneurs continue to demonstrate the transformative potential of youth-led innovation in African agriculture. Their stories reflect a shared commitment to sustainable practices, resilience, and a deep dedication to improving livelihoods and protecting the environment.

Initiatives like the CoP show that with passion, resourcefulness, and the proper support, Africa’s youth are poised to reshape the future of agriculture. As Valentine emphasises, they are not only cultivating crops; they are sowing the seeds of change and laying the foundation for a trade that prioritises community resilience and environmental stewardship.

Edited by “Pius Okore”