- According to the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), 14.5 million Kenyans make up the MSMEs sector in the country.
- The MSES sector contributes 33 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 80 per cent of new employment annually.
Image: AGATHA NGOTHO
Yara East Africa has launched its second Leadership programme that targets to train 1,000 youth on agribusiness skills.
MSMEs and Cooperative CS Simon Chelugui said the government is working with the probate sector to scale up the impact in the agribusiness space through infrastructure.
The CS spoke during the launch of the 2024 Yara Leadership programme for agri-entrepreneurs involved in stocking and distribution of farm inputs.
“This will help promote specific value chains, and enhance market linkages through trade fairs. In addition to leveraging on digitising businesses to enhance e-commerce, financial linkages to the open market credit system and policy development and enhancement,” he said.
Chelugui said the 1,000 cohorts are involved in farm inputs distribution, stocking, retailing and they also offer last-mile service to the farmers.
“This will complement our work as a government. It will also support our farmers. My appeal to farmers and counties is to utilise this resource for a better production and yield. I think progressively, we are touching the lives of many farmers, and we will be able to completely sort ourselves out as far as food security is concerned,” he said.
Carol Mumo, Impact Lead at Yara, said they are targeting 1,000 participants in this edition to upskill their skill set through the 15-week, online MBA-inspired module.
“We are elated by the impact this initiative has shown based on the feedback report from the last cohort. I am pleased to share with you that there has been a 59 per cent increase in uptake of digital bookkeeping and increased opportunities for job creation leading to business expansion and profits,” she said.
According to the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), 14.5 million Kenyans make up the MSMEs sector in the country. They contribute to 33 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product and 80 per cent of new employment annually.
Caroline Kioko, Ag. Director, Business Development Marketing and Trade at Micro and Small Enterprises Authority, said the authority is working to help agri-enteprenuers in promotion and development aspects of their business. This is aimed at helping them to make them competitive and sustainable.
William Ngeno, Yara East Africa country manager said upskilling through the Yara Leadership Academy is a great initiative to sustainable, transformative empowerment.
He added that this inclusive business development will bring positive change. This has been developed in collaboration with Agmark— a social enterprise committed to providing capacity development in the agriculture space—and Unifiers Social Ventures, a social venture that harnesses technology to equip communities with skills for development.
“This initiative will help transform how MSMEs trade and the value-add services they offer their customers, the farmers, to enhance good returns through efficient revenue streams,” Ngeno said.
The Yara Leadership Academy for MSMEs will offer participants a great opportunity for peer-peer reviews and networking as well as personalised mentoring services.
“Some of the broad range of topics that will be covered include; digital inventory, bookkeeping and operations, budgeting and monitoring of resource use, traditional and digital marketing and business growth strategies,” he added.