Nairobi:Kenya is taking steps to establish a national chapter of the Youth in Agrifood Systems in East Africa (YASE) platform. This initiative aims to consolidate fragmented youth groups and bolster their involvement in agricultural development.
According to Kenya News Agency, the proposed chapter will create a coordinated mechanism for young people engaged in agriculture and related value chains. This will enable them to influence policy decisions, access economic opportunities, and contribute to the transformation of the agrifood sector.
Kimathi Githachuri, Youth in Agribusiness Programme Advisor at the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, explained that the initiative was developed after young people from the region demanded a unified platform to amplify their voices and enhance their representation. At a national capacity-building workshop in Nairobi, Githachuri emphasized that the existing fragmented youth groups limited coordinated advocacy and engagement with policymakers.
Last December, around 185 young people from the eight EAC Partner States convened at a regional expo and advocated for an apex body to collectively advance their interests. As a result, the EAC Secretariat initiated the formation of YASE, a structure validated by the Partner States and endorsed by their Ministers of Agriculture during the Sectoral Council on Agriculture and Food Security meeting in July.
The regional platform will include 24 representatives, with each partner state nominating two youth representatives from the private sector under 35 years old and one government representative. Githachuri noted that national chapters would lay the foundation for regional representation, uniting existing youth organizations and initiatives.
Charles Lusweti, Head of the Youth in Agriculture Unit at the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted Kenya’s progress in developing frameworks to engage young people but stressed the need for stronger coordination. Lusweti identified agro-processing, value addition, and market access as key areas where young people could establish viable enterprises and create jobs.
The government also aims to reduce the import bill by boosting domestic production of commodities like edible oils, providing opportunities for youth-led enterprises. Lusweti mentioned that about 10,000 youth agripreneurs are already using digital tools to offer advisory services to farmers, showcasing technology’s potential to enhance youth participation in agriculture.
The ongoing workshop is expected to assist stakeholders in developing the organizational and governance structures for Kenya’s national affiliate, including selecting representatives for the regional platform. The YASE Platform initiative, launched by the EAC Secretariat in partnership with AGRA, seeks to centralize and enhance youth participation across the eight EAC Partner States in transforming the regional agrifood sector.
