New drive to lift women and youth

At least 2,400 women and youth enterprises in eight counties are set to benefit from a five-year programme aimed at mainstreaming businesses along the agricultural value chain.

The Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC) will set up business incubation hubs in Bungoma, Isiolo, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kisii, Machakos, Meru and Uasin Gishu counties under the Agribusiness Programme.

KCIC Corporate Services Manager Ernest Chitechi told a stakeholders’ forum in Kisii yesterday women and youth are hindered from engaging in agribusiness due to, among other things, low returns, inadequate skills and limited access to land.

“Vision 2030 projects agriculture as one of the key sectors capable of transforming the economy to achieve 10 per cent annual growth. Sustaining this milestone requires transforming agriculture from subsistence to innovative, technology-driven and commercially oriented enterprise,” said Mr Chitechi.

He said the new programme would help improve the productivity of smallholder farmers, thereby increasing incomes and creating 20,000 direct and indirect jobs. Chitechi said the programme has so far attracted 25,875 applications.