By Tony Wafula
County governments have been urged to prioritise youth empowerment in the agricultural sector by allocating adequate resources to agribusiness in their annual development plans. This call comes amid growing concerns over the limited support for youth-led farming ventures, despite agriculture being one of Kenya’s key drivers of employment and economic growth.
Speaking during a youth training forum organised by the Siaya County Youth Network in Bungoma on Wednesday, John Mukenya, an agricultural and climate change advocate, lamented the inadequate budgetary support for agribusiness in Bungoma County.
He noted that after reviewing the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2025/2026, it became evident that Bungoma County had not committed sufficient funding to promote youth participation in agriculture.
“The review of the CIDP clearly shows that Bungoma County has overlooked youth agribusiness. There is very little commitment when it comes to financing programmes that can uplift young farmers,” Mukenya said.
He added:
“If we want to tackle youth unemployment, we must invest in agribusiness. Agriculture is not just farming, it’s a full economic value chain.”
Additionally, Mukenya disclosed that the Bungoma County Government had allocated only Sh900 million towards the entire agriculture sector in the 2025/26 budget, a figure he termed insufficient, considering the challenges facing farmers and youth agripreneurs in the region.
“You can’t expect transformation in agriculture if your budget does not reflect that vision. Youths want to venture into poultry, dairy farming, and value addition, but they lack support structures,” Mukenya remarked.
He further criticised the county’s continued focus on maize production at the expense of other high-value crops that could yield better returns and attract youth participation.
“It’s like the county government is obsessed with maize. Every year, they distribute maize seeds and fertilisers, yet they ignore other promising value chains like soya beans, millet, sorghum, avocados, and sim sim,” he observed.
“Young people are innovative. If supported, they can transform these value chains into profitable agribusiness ventures.”
Mukenya emphasised the need to diversify agricultural investments, noting that farmers, particularly the youth, require options beyond traditional crops. He also challenged county leaders to craft a more inclusive agricultural strategy that integrates youth ideas and modern farming practices.
As part of their training sessions, the youth participants developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining key demands and recommendations to be submitted to the Bungoma County Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives.
The MoU seeks to push for the deliberate inclusion of youth needs in policy formulation and budgeting processes.
“We are not just talking. We have prepared an MoU that will be formally presented to the County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for Agriculture,” Mukenya said.
Phelgona Odipo, a field officer at the Siaya County Youth Network, revealed that the youth training was part of a broader programme funded by GIZ, aimed at enhancing the participation of young people in governance and agriculture.
“Our project is currently running in six counties, Siaya, Kisumu, Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Busia,” Odipo explained.
She added:
“We are working directly with youth groups and individuals interested in the agricultural sector.”
Odipo further noted that the programme focuses on capacity building, equipping youth with skills in advocacy, budget analysis, and engagement with county governments.
“Through these sessions, we have been able to educate youth on the budget-making process and their right to participate,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of recognising agriculture as a viable source of employment for young people, urging counties to move beyond tokenism in youth engagement.
“Youth need to see agriculture as a business, not a fallback plan,” she said. “If given access to credit, land, training, and markets, they can run successful agribusinesses that uplift their communities.”
