Vihiga Partners with Mastercard Foundation to Boost Youth Agribusiness

In Summary

• Vihiga County partners with Mastercard Foundation under Young Africa Works.
• Program trains 2,000 youth in innovative farming practices like regenerative agriculture.
• Focus on poultry, leafy vegetables, groundnuts, tomatoes, and soya beans.
• Mentors guide 15–20 mentees each, linking them to markets and agro-dealers.
• Initiative aims to create dignified work for youth, especially women.
• Expansion planned to reach 5,000 youth by 2026.

Vihiga County has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to empower 2,000 young people through the Resilient Agriculture that Works for Young People (RAY) program, launched under the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy. The initiative, rolled out in 2024, trains youth in Vihiga and eight other western Kenyan counties in innovative agricultural practices to foster profitable agribusinesses, according to a statement from the Vihiga County Department of Agriculture.

The program targets youth aged 18–35, with a focus on young women, offering mentorship in regenerative agriculture and entrepreneurship for crops like poultry, African leafy vegetables, groundnuts, tomatoes, and soya beans. Each mentor, an experienced agribusiness owner, guides 15–20 mentees, connecting them to agro-dealers for quality inputs and to buyers for market access. “This initiative is transforming lives by creating sustainable income sources,” said County Agriculture Executive Godfrey Wasike.

Vihiga farmer Jane Atieno, a mentee from Luanda, praised the program. “I’ve learned to grow tomatoes using organic methods and now supply local markets, earning KSh 30,000 monthly,” she said. The initiative aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s goal to enable 30 million young Africans to access dignified work by 2030, with agriculture as a key sector.

Challenges include limited access to startup capital and irrigation in dry seasons. Wasike noted that the county is seeking additional funding to address these gaps. The program builds on earlier Mastercard Foundation efforts in Vihiga, such as a 2021 KSh 10 million grant to 600 traders for post-Covid recovery, indicating a growing partnership.

The county plans to expand the program to 5,000 youth by 2026, integrating digital tools like the Capital Connect platform to link farmers with investors. Progress will be reviewed in early 2026 to assess economic impacts and refine the model for broader rollout.