Boosting Youth Employment Opportunities through Integrated Agribusiness Hubs in Cameroon and Kenya

The objective of the Integrated Agribusiness Hubs Project – Job Open to the Youth, JOY – is boosting rural youth empowerment and providing decent employment opportunities in Kenya and Cameroon through the provision of innovative financial and non-financial services. Organized into main hubs and satellites, the project will accompany 2,500 youth (50% female, 50% male) in the start-up of their enterprises and placement into agribusiness and companies. These are youths in relevant agricultural territories and match IFAD supported projects.

The JOY project effective start date is August 5, 2021, and completion date is June 30, 2024. It is a US$ 2.5M IFAD Grant with US$0.205M in co-funding. It is implemented by PROCASUR in alliance with the International Labour Organization (ILO), USTADI and AGRO-PME Cameroon bringing on board practical and demonstrated experience on matters pertaining to rural youth and agribusiness.

The theory of change addresses through two components four critical reasons for sub-optimal integration of youth in agriculture value chains. These are:

i) Non-conducive enabling environment for youth employment,

ii) Limited access to assets by the youth, such as land, technologies, finance and services,

iii) Lack of knowledge and technical skills of youth and service providers, and the iv) negative perception of agriculture as unattractive to young people.

The Hubs and satellites will

i) Follow an integrated approach in mentorship and coaching,

ii) Enlarge knowledge and talent to create and groom agribusinesses,

iii) Improve access to improved and innovative agricultural technologies,

iv) Engage in youth-to-youth technology transfer,

v) Strengthen young agri-preneurs nutrition awareness,

vi) Provide shared facilities and equipment for co-working,

vii) Contribute to rural enterprise diversification and job creation,

viii) Invest in shaping an enhanced rural institutions environment  and

ix) Shift to nonconventional renewable energies (NCRE).

At least three IFAD supported operations will benefit from JOY. The project will select the target operations in coordination with IFAD country offices in both countries. Moreover, due to the hub’s business model, a larger number of clients partners, including government, other IFIs, the private sector and the youth themselves will be identified and engaged.

 

Potential JOY partners from IFAD and ILO in Cameroon and Kenya

 
Cameroon

 

  • Programme de Promotion de L’Entreprenariat Agropastoral des jeunes (PEA-Jeunes)
  • Commodity Value Chain Development Support Project.
  • YouthTools Grant
  • Measures to improve the conditions of domestic workers
 Kenya

 

  • Aquaculture Business Development Programme
  • Programme Climate Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Window
  • Upper Tana Catchment Natural Resource Management Project
  • Kenya Livestock Commercialization Project
  • Rural Kenya Financial Inclusion Facility
  • PROSPECTS – Inclusive jobs and education for refugees and host communities in Kenya
  • Better Utilization of Skills for Youth through Quality Apprenticeship (BUSY)

 

Summary of the first year workplan – August 2021 to August 2022

 

Being JOY a three-year project, expectation for the first year of operations are high. All in all, year one must set conditions for the hub model to become operational in the two countries while taking on-board the first youth generation. By the end of year one, JOY will have burned the start-up and pre-hub phases of the integrated agribusiness hubs. Moreover, a first group of over 400 rural young men and women (50:50) will be trained, coached, mentored, and connected in their path to waged or self-employment.

 

First Year Milestones

 

  1. Implementation arrangements made.
  2. System, services and products upgraded.
  1. Youth engaged and targeting strategy unfold.
  1. Bringing the first generation of youth onboard.
  1. Enabling the environment for youth agribusiness to grow.

 

At a different level, JOY will pursuit to exchange knowledge with the integrated agribusiness hubs supported by IFAD in Rwanda, Nigeria and Mozambique and more recently, Madagascar, Malawi, Ivory Coast and Algeria.

Expected outputs and outcomes, utility for the target group

We expect the activities from component 1 and 2 to deliver the following outputs:

1.Three (2) Hubs and six (5) satellites are established Cameroon and Kenya.

2.2500 (50%f,50m) youth receive tailored training, coaching and mentoring. Additionally 2500-3500 jobs will be created by the micro and small agribusinesses.

3.An institutional and governance system is in place to guide the development of the HUBS in the Cameroon and Kenya.

Hub model experience and studies capitalized and disseminated to stakeholders.

 

Youth outputs in term of employment Kenya Cameroon Total
Expected # of youth access wage employment (70%) 875 875 1,750
Expected # of youth enter enterprise development (30%) 375 375    750
Expected # of additional jobs created through enterprise development 1,250 1,250 2,500
  5,000
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