Youth in Agribusiness working group meeting

PROGRESS OF TANZANIA YOUTH IN AGRIBUSINESS FORUM

(TYIAF)

Presented by:

Juma Bruno NgomuoProgram Support- Agribusinesswww.graduatefarmers.org+255 753843321/+255 789856246

12th May 2014

About TYIAF

Tanzania Youth in Agribusiness Forum (YIAF) is ayouth-led platform launched in Morogoro on 11th May2013, with a motto “Kilimo Biashara Ndio MpangoMzima” thus – “Agribusiness is the whole plan”.TYIAF is coordinated by Agri Hub Tanzania underthematic area of Youth/ Farmers Entrepreneurship.

www.apf-tanzania.ning.com visitwww.facebook.com/TYIAF

Who are in TYIAF

- The forum was coordinated by Agri Hub Tanzaniaunder thematic area of Promoting FarmersEntrepreneurship ( where TGFA is the leadorganization and SNV, Farm Africa, 4-H, MEBTI,AMSHA and SUGECO are the key stakeholders. Theseorganizations have been working on bringing voicesof youths to the table, providing information onopportunities in agricultural development, sharingsuccess stories of young role models in agriculture andadvocating for greater youth engagement andrepresentation.

Objective of the Forum

To advocate in action for youth employment, entrepreneurship in agribusiness

To recognize and share Achievements made by youth entrepreneurs

To share opportunities while addressing challenges facing youth in agribusiness and subsectors

To inspire and mobilize youth to tap into Agribusiness opportunities

TYIAF Specific Objectives

Agri Hub Tanzania and its partner members set this versatile andinteractive platform so as to give the youth, organised youthgroups and supporting civil society and Organizations andpublic departments an opportunity to come together in multi-prolonged approaches to:

1. Acknowledge achievements, successes and appreciate of Youthled Agribusiness Enterprises, youth role models, aspirators andcoachers, young Agro entrepreneurs as well as projects whichsupport youth enterprise development

2. Share information on existing Agribusiness opportunities andchallenges while promote best practices on how best youths cantap into these opportunities through innovation, skillsdevelopment, mindset transformation there by empowering andrecognise youths while addressing the challenges for advocacyfor mutual benefit of Public Private and Private privatePartnership.

TYIAF Specific Objectives3. Use an Online platform of Agri hub Tanzania in order to bring

more attentions to interested youths and use the platform fordevelopment and as a centre for sharing, discussing, promotingnetworking as well as a marketplace for conducting businessbased on product and services for agribusiness enterprises andadvocacy.

4. Design and implement strategies for partnership andcollaborations in order to promote, recognize, motivate andadvocate for youth involvement and bring more youths inAgribusiness with focus on Agripreneurship, mindsettransformation, Innovation, Leadership and life skillsdevelopment.

5. The forum will also take into account the addressing andadvocating for access for quality and affordable land, finance,Inputs, market and Entrepreneurship possibilities that youthsand young interested entrepreneurs can start, develop andexpand Agribusiness Ideas and enterprises for supportingthrough incubation, start up funds, grants and financialassistance linkages.

TYIAF AchievementsSince its launch TYIAF has managed to achieve:-

1. Reach more than Over 300 direct and indirectbeneficiaries as through online platforms, social eventssuch as Morogoro (Launching) and Manyara Youth inAgribusiness Forums http://apf-tanzania.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-tanzania-youth-in-agri-business-forum-launch-event

2. 11 youth have directly accessed BDS services. For morenews please visit http://apf-tanzania.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-tanzania-youth-in-agri-business-forum

TYIAF Success and Achievement3. Facilitating the establishment and expansion of

10 agribusinesses;

3.1 Support to 6 young agripreneurs to access exportmarkets: visit http://apf-tanzania.ning.com/profiles/blogs/october-s-newsletter

3.2 Support to 4 youth to develop bankable businessplans

About TGFA www.graduatefarmers.org

- TGFA is a registered civil society organization whosemembership base constitute highly learned, capable,experienced and aspirants of becoming commercialfarmers in Tanzania.

The overall objective of TGFA is to promote agricultureby adopting and advocate for effective best practices,techniques, innovation, science and technologysupported by policies and regulations in the sector forsustainable development in social, political andeconomic transformation in Tanzania.

Profiling TYIAF: Role of TGFA and Lead

PartnersSince TGFA is a member based organization andprofessional Network Our Program support departmenthas successful profiled Agrihub as the Only existingPlatform to promote Farmers entrepreneurship usingholistic approaches and though that TYIAF has been seenas the solution towards bringing all stakeholders aroundthe table to foresee how best youth can be mobilized,attracted and Retained in Agriculture using“Agribusiness” theories and Practices.

Through our Practical Agenda, Ultimately TGFA aims tochange the mindset of farmers, youths and young graduatesfrom becoming job seekers to job creators in agriculturesector.

TGFA run a special Program for youth called "Youth SupportProgram" or formally Known as Tanzania Youth inAgribusiness Forum

TGFA become a leading Organization in supporting TYIAFsince its launch as a consulted Organization and continue toProfile Agrihub in many of its activities and much in inkindcontribution. TGFA coordination, individual members andAssociate members (Shambani Solutions and JUWAWACompany) have also make the most of TYIAF.

- TGFA coordination through Advocacy and ProgramSupport department through partnership activities andcollaborations continue to PROFILE TYIAF in most of theirinterventions including:-

Since TYIAF existence TGFA has been muchactive and increase its network through:-

Our online Help desk, Office Help desk,Develop and Posts, stories and articles,Organizing social events,

Media activities i.e participation in Radiointerviews, Organized social events likeinspirational talks and motivation as in Learninginstitution and Worshiping centers.

August 2013: Manyara Investors ForumOrganized by TCCIA

September 2013: Documenting youth and womenin Agriculture done by Dinepe Production andshared in AYoA led to participate in Non StateActors Forum

October 2013: Organizing and Facilitate TYIAFRoad show in Manyara Region

14-16 November 2013: National EmploymentForum organized by REPOA, ILO and MoL

10 December 2013: Farmers Consultation Meeting (Dec 2013)organized by ANSAF

16-18 December 2013: Regional Youth Green Growth Forumorganized by OAY and UNEP held in Nairobi

Continue Representation:

•Forums and Discussions Organized by REPOA, ESRF,MAFC as well as invitations in Organized events, Mediaactivities eg. Maisha Plus

•Our participation in all matters concerning agriculture andrural development we promote our approach and successmade from TYIAF stakeholders

In November 2014 TGFA in collaboration with CTA Organizeand Facilitate Web 2.0 and Social Media Learning whichtarget young researchers as well as Agrihub members. 30people were trained among them 3 TGFA staffs, who areactive in AHT online and other agriculture practitioner.

One of the aim of the Learning opportunity was to exposeagriculture practitioner on the best practices to use socialmedia and other Web 2.0 application to share, update, sourceand promote agriculture as farming is concern

TGFA youth champion has been selected to join CAADP TzTeam from January 2014 where participating in discussionand consultation. This has been due to our active andadvocacy in Action for youth in Agriculture:

TGFA representation has strengthen its collaboration andNetwork with Research institution such as REPOA, ESRF,SUA, UDBS and others as the centre of excellence for youthinitiatives in Agriculture.

Through that some of Public authorities and Agencies arenow aware of our Forum and AHT network activities

Promote TYIAF through SocialMedia and BlogsTYIAF representative from TGFA is also managing a face

book page with the name “Youth in Agribusiness Forum”and it has more than 299 likes

Blog: the blog www.youthinagribusiness.wordpress.com hasbeen one of the popular blog in Agriculture since January2014 and it is among 30 blogs contesting for YOBLOCO andBlog with commercial opportunity. It has 559 followers

Both FACEBOOK and BLOG accounts are run andadministered by TGFA representative and mainly the pagesused to share links from AHT, News updates, Events,Articles, posts, stories, Pictures and other usefulinformation. It is through these pages that TYIAF ispromoted, online helpdesk is done, advice and links areshared deals negotiated in AHT Market place

Whatsup Group having 76 and 12 Tanzanians we are nowconnecting with others through our finger tips, dobusiness, share updates and links (Afri Youth in Agric)

TGFA have made to profile TYIAF in the followinginternationally:

September 2013 ANSAF choose TGFA to participate in Videodocumenting “Youth and Women in Agriculture”

The documentary has led TGFA representation in “FromRhetoric to Action” forum held in Ethiopia during AU Summitin January 2014

Due to sharing the experiences and achievement mae byTGFA through TYIAF, TGFA is among the Non State Actorsled by ANSAF to foster DO AGRIC Campaign in Africa

Be part of Establishment of Africa Youth in AgricultureWHATSUP group where 6 youth led Organizationrepresentatives meet and discuss, connect and o business

In early 2014 before TGFA participation in Pan African movementfor AU summit we shared TYIAF profile to USAID Tanzania Officeas well as ILO whom they seem to be interested in supporting ourinitiatives.

Nevertheless public agencies and Authorities especially thosewhich are for community development and Social Security haveshow some interest in supporting this versatile initiative.

And the most remarkable thing about TYIAF is its multi-stakeholder and holistic approaches adopted to carry our activitiesto achieve better results.

TYIAF through agrihub as the only platform in Tanzaniawhich bring all stakeholders through online and physicalactivities for engagement is crucial to promote youthinvolvement and farmers entrepreneurship. And in such amatter we learnrned that there are so many challenges andopportunities for youth to be involved in agriculture as wellas opportunities.

If more stakeholders and members of Agrihub and itsworking group can collectively engage in making thisplatform active through organized events, online discussionsand forums as well as Learning sessions the Forum will resultinto mutual benefit of all members as we do now in TGFA

How all those can happen?

As a multi-stakeholder initiative TYIAF needsupport whether financially and in kind frompartners as public sector to raise and establish e.gmatching grants must be used to promote improvedtechnologies, empower youth farmers to hire serviceproviders, build linkages with private firms throughproductive partnerships, and provide ruralinfrastructure.

Some of Opportunities for youthsin Agriculture subsectors- Production and Processing (Cash Crop, Horticulture, Spices, Dairy)

- Livestock and Poultry ( Dairy, Quails, Chicken)

- Agroforestry and Apiculture i.e Beekeeping, Tree farming, Nursery

- Aquaponics, Hydroponics i.e Farming with little land

- Urban Agriculture an sustainable Agriculture

- Fishing i.e Fishing ponds

- Green house and Drip irrigation systems

- Business Development Services i.e Professional Advisory and Facilitation

Opportunities for youths in Agriculture- Input supplying,

- Value additions i.e Processing, packaging

- Transport and Market link

- Promoters and Brokers i.e Marketing

- Research and Development

- ICT through Social Medias such as Blogs and Pages,

- BDS

- Inclusive business (Renewable energy),

- Green Economy ( Organic Agriculture, Sustainable farming

Why youth have to tap in those Opportunities

Availability of Local Markets

Growing demand of Food (nutritious awareness) recipes, Organic and Services related to Agribusiness

The growing population and Aging population of Farmers

Supporting initiatives from Government and Non State actors (Private sector).

Availability of Regional and International Markets i.e SADC, ECOWAS, EU and AGOA

Challenges facing youth in Agriculture Lack of enough practical oriented agribusiness

skills and knowledge

Inadequate information on supportingopportunities especially incentives anddiversification

Too much focus on small holder production bydevelopment projects and partners

Little or no attraction for youths to engage inagriculture i.e education background, failure ofthe sector due to market, inputs, conflicts andclimate changes

In adequate distribution of resources eg. Land,capital, market links

Challenges for Youth in Agriculture cont…. Problematic intergenerational transfer of family

farms and small scale agricultural enterprises

Limited or no access to green jobs (including organic agriculture, eco-tourism, employment related to using energy from renewable sources)

Limited or no engagement of youth in policy dialogue (including youth organization, representation

Lesson Learned: Solution to Youth in Agriculture

Agricultural Trainings and Learning centersWell designed and packaged agricultural

education through workshops and training courseshas to be provided to interested youth and workingadults either attended school or not as well asworking adults to build and strengthening theircapacities.

The issue of Farmer Field Schools and Agricultureinformation centers for GAPs is crucial at the levelof village to regions

Trade shows and Exhibitions Local and Regional Trade shows and Exhibitions

can help youths showcase and promote theirproducts and services while give them the chanceto meet with customers, create links and contacts,financers at the same time give them thecompetitive advantage.

Share Achievements attained by youth ledenterprises and initiatives while addressingopportunities and challenges for youthsengagement in agribusiness.

Technology and InnovationAgriculture mechanizations through innovations is very crucial to the sector development. The need to intensify the value chains.

The Agro Machines such as tractors, Harvesters, feeders, irrigators which intensify their business.

Media- The outreach through Media such as radio, TV,

news paper play a major roles in information to community

- The increase of use of internet and through mobile devices as phones, smart phones has allow easy access and exchange of information's. Popular social media accounts of Mkulima Young, YIA, Bloggers and

BDS and Extension Business Development Services for consulting

Legal advisory as the issue of Contracts and Propertyright education

Linking agricultural credit to extension services canaddress the needs of young farmers for simultaneousfinance and information.

Incentives and Insurance To make the business of agriculture even more

attractive Land reforms are to allow Land tenures(Ownership) for those who are interested andcapable as a way of long-term, joint or individuallease for agricultural purposes.

Financial incentives has to be well placed thus toallow them acquire safety nets to assist themwhen they need it most.

Insurance for crops and livestock has to beadvocated for and put in place thus to allow manyfarmers to access

Tackle the issue of Financing PPP should establish a fund to make capital and

credit accessible for young people who want toenter into agriculture. Some of these innovations;self-help groups, savings and credit associations,community-based financial organizations, ruraland community banks, and cooperatives are amongthe organizational innovations that needs to bedeveloped to address the high costs and risks andalso allowing alternative forms of collateral (suchas chattel mortgages, warehouse receipts, andfuture harvests) can reduce the cost of credit foryoung people.

Quality informationThe need for quality and timely dissemination of theempirical data and education about theopportunities available and how best to tap in to asin areas such as agro-processing, export and localconsumption

Youth inclusion Decision making and political representations

Youth development committees

Youth development policies

Develop and implement the Youth Strategy

A “Youth in agriculture strategy” has to be well put in placeas the way of building social capital which is a great way tobond and motivate youth. The strategy has to broader inapproach to address issues of Entrepreneurship (advocatefor incorporation of agriculture in the regular curriculum)Land tenure, Inputs and Markets access.

The strategy has to be coordinated to demonstrate a clearunderstanding of the youth’s affinity for technology,efficiency and a strong voice in the decision-makingprocesses. Thus motivating the youth to view agriculture asa career opportunity will require a multi-level interventionas to those in school and outside school.

My Call to Key stakeholdersFor agriculture sector has to be profitable,competitive, and dynamic attract more youngpeople the so as to improve food security,preserve a fragile natural environment and delivergrowth.

To achieve that it needs entrepreneurial politicalcommitment and great African leaders who thinkbeyond their physical existence that “agriculturesector will forever be an engine of growth toour economy”.

Thank you……

Asanteni Sana……