Pool of short-term experts for technical support, advisory, facilitation and training services

The GIZ Project commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), "Youth Employment in the Agri-Food Sector in Western Kenya (YEA)" is implemented in five Counties of Western Kenya (Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisumu, Siaya and Vihiga). The lead political partner for the Project is the Kenyan National Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD). YEA focuses on strengthening sustainable income and employment opportunities for young people, especially women, in the agricultural and food sector in Western Kenya, while promoting the sustainable transformation of the agri-food sector. Thos includes supporting companies contributing to import substitution of agricultural inputs (e.g., organic fertiliser production), supporting climate resilience (e.g., commercial production of climate-adapted planting materials), or promoting organic farming (e.g., use of agroecological practices). The project targets young farmers (18 to 35-year-olds) and Agri-based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) owners and employees. The agri-based MSMEs include both company founders and established micro and small businesses in the agri-food sector. Both projects acknowledge women as a special target group, supporting them in ensuring their rights, resources, and representation. The structure of the project by outputs is as follows: YEA Output 1: Strengthen the institutional and personnel capacities of governmental and non-governmental actors to manage and implement the County Youth Agribusiness Strategies with focus on public-private exchange formats for developing solutions to increase youth employment in the agri-food sector. Output 2: Improve young farmers' access to sustainable agricultural production resources, including knowledge, inputs, services, networks, and access to land. The project also supports climate adaptation and inclusive contract farming approaches, increasing young people's access to land and utilizing digital solutions and gender-sensitive advisory formats. Output 3: Strengthen the entrepreneurial skills of young entrepreneurs and start-ups in the agricultural and food sector, focusing on MSMEs and start-ups with high market potential. Output 4: Promote the attractiveness of the agricultural and food sector as an inclusive, modern, and lucrative source of income and employment for young people. The project supports implementing media, digital, and physical learning formats, highlighting successful young role models and addressing climate-resilient transformation and gender norms.