KENYA: YOUNG FARMERS SERVE AS ROLE MODELS TO OTHER YOUTH

The Meganjo Youth Group working
 around their greenhouse

The Meganjo Youth Group in Nyeri (Central Kenya) came together with the purpose of helping one another succeed through carrying out agricultural income generating activities. The youth initially grew and marketed sukuma wiki (kale) as a group. However, lack of access to capital and land hampered their success.

Impressed with the enthusiasm of the young people, the local assistant chief awarded them a piece of land for construction of a greenhouse. The 23 members received training from a greenhouse expert and a Farmer Voice Radio (FVR) Radio Extension Officer (REO), on greenhouse husbandry and small business skills. They have subsequently implemented various practices that they have heard on FVR programming, including harvesting rain water for drip irrigation to ensure a good tomato yield. The youth hope to generate approximately Ksh 70,000 ($850) per month from May to August from the sale of their tomatoes.

Young farmers prepare a tomato
seedbed for their greenhouse

The greenhouse is used as a model for other youth to learn, by recording and documenting of the group’s activities for broadcast through FVR. Initial interviews conducted with the youth on greenhouse tomato farming and group dynamics have already been broadcast. Other radio messages have subsequently been generated from the greenhouse project for inclusion on future FVR programming.

The youth group members are excited that their voices are being heard on the radio and that they are role models for other youth. They plan to expand their activities to poultry production and other horticultural products (such as sweet pepper, which is of high demand in the local market), having heard about these types of farming from FVR programs.