Under SAY, 2,000 youth to undergo training in agripreneurship

Agripreneurship is the marriage of agriculture and entrepreneurship. It creates an innovative space for youth to exercise managerial skills and business acumen, generating growth and income in the agriculture sector.

By Robert Edwomu

Soroti – 25, October 2021: An NGO, AVSI Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries alongside other development partners launched the ‘SAY’ project.

SAY will run for four years and is expected to see youth in Eastern Uganda also acquire skills in agribusiness and later create jobs.

Ralmlah Nabbwegamu is the team leader AVSI ‘SAY’ project, Eastern region who says the project is aimed at training both school students mostly those in higher institutions of learning and in those in their final years and dropouts interested in getting skills.

She notes that the program does not segregate and will offer soft skills for entrepreneurs and those doing agribusiness.

Hellen Musimenta is a third year student of agriculture in Arapai Busitema campus. She is a beneficiary. During the launch at Serere National Research Center, she applauded AVSI for the initiative.

She noted that the knowledge, skills, networking and financial assistance attained “impacts a lot in changing their livelihoods as youths” as well “provide an enabling platform for job creation”.

Edward Tanyima is the National Coordinator for Migration and Youth Employment in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) country office. He says together with AVSI, Ministries of Labour and Agriculture, they are also working on a program dubbed “Youth Inspiring Youth in Agriculture” (YIYA) to be rolled out as national program implemented across the country.

YIYA is a youth initiative program which identifies and recognizes successful youth agripreneurs aged 18 to 35.

This comes as 270 youth agripreneurs who were selected and competed at district and regional levels were awarded as “role models” that can inspire other youth to join the sector through knowledge-sharing, capacity building and mentor-ship.

Yafesi Ogwang, Assistant Commissioner Agribusiness in the Ministry of Agricultural Animal Industry and Fisheries states that the ministry has various programs designed to eradicate poverty.

He reveals that the ministry is finding difficulties in helping the youth because young people are scattered as opposed to groupings.

He further noted that attitude and mindset change has equally affected youth’s participation in most of the ministry’s projects aimed at making youth rich.

Mondo Kyateka, Assistant Commissioner in charge Youth Affairs in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development warns youth against engaging in marrying many women if they want to prosper and escape poverty.

“The biggest challenge young people have is mindset change which we want to embark on to create a change amongst youth,” he observed.

He adds that one cannot have a viable business entity with a number of women and children due to numerous challenges and responsibilities it comes along with.

Kyateka claims that majority of the youth use the little money they make from agriculture for luxury projects that don’t sustain their future.

He points out that 21.4% of the population in the country lives under poverty which number is highly contributed by the youth.

The ministry is focusing on fighting poverty which is the greatest form of violence, he reveals, citing that poor people are not recognized even in burial contributions apart from collecting water, firewood and cooking food for mourners.