Taita Taveta county youths have been urged to embrace agribusiness to create self-employment and increase food production in the region.
Governor Andrew Mwadime on Saturday told the youth to form community-based organisations (CBOs) and cooperatives through which they can get donor and government support to undertake farming.
He urged them to change focus and to take up agricultural activities and tree planting as a source of livelihood.
Mwadime said the agriculture sector has a huge opportunity for employment creation that can help absorb hundreds of unemployed youths and improve their livelihoods.
He said his administration is committed to addressing youth unemployment through empowerment and creation of jobs.
"I encourage young people to form groups. It's through teamwork where good strategies are born to catapult you to make significant economic strides," Mwadime said during the International Youth Day celebrations in Wundanyi.
Groups and cooperatives, the county boss said, will help youths pull their resources together for collective and individual growth.
The governor noted that the increasing rate of unemployment in the country is posing threat to the county’s development stride and should therefore be tamed by helping young people join agribusiness.
Young people under the age of 35 years make up 75 per cent of the Kenyan population according to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, thus being in a position to bring a shift in food production.
"These young people should be empowered to join the agriculture sector so that we tame unemployment as we increase our production,” Mwadime said.
Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo said many youth groups and cooperatives have failed for lack of commitment and perseverance which are fundamental enablers of any successful venture.
For instance, only 13 out of 79 registered cooperatives in the county are active, an indication that there is need for more sensitisation to revive the dormant cooperatives.
At least 98,000 youth, women, and PLWDs had enrolled in cooperatives as of last year, according to data from the county cooperatives office.
Kilalo, however, revealed that the devolved unit is working on programmes that targets to offer support to all cooperatives and groups in the county.
Further, she said that registered groups will be guided on how to benefit from the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO).
Kilalo also challenged the youth to take the front seat on governance matters to ensure fair, equitable and sustainable outcomes.
