In Kenya, Climate-Smart Agriculture Opens Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods
Agriculture is one of the most important industries in Kenya. It makes up about a third of the country’s GDP and employs more than 40% of the total population and 70% of the rural population. Despite its importance to the country’s economy, Kenya’s agricultural sector faces significant challenges, including increased spending on agricultural imports, decreased soil quality, declining production and low youth engagement.
In fertile Nyandarua County, Kenya — best known for its extensive potato production — CAP Youth Empowerment Institute (CAPYEI) has launched an innovative project to address some of the country’s most pressing issues: youth unemployment, food insecurity and climate change. Supported by GitLab Foundation, the project creates new pathways for young people to build sustainable livelihoods through climate-smart agricultural practices.
“Our mission is to empower young people, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalized, by providing them with the skills they need to secure meaningful employment or start their own businesses,” said Ndung'u Kahihu, executive director of CAPYEI. “We believe in a holistic approach that not only teaches technical skills but also prepares young people for the realities of the workforce.”
This undertaking is a natural extension of CAPYEI’s work. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, from low-till farming to organic waste recycling, all designed to help young farmers increase their yields while minimizing their environmental impact. It’s based out of a Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) hub in Nyandarua County, which serves as a hands-on training center where young people can learn sustainable farming techniques. The program also teaches digital skills, further enhancing the employability of participants and preparing them for a range of opportunities within the agricultural industry.
Kahihu explained that focusing on climate-smart agriculture is not only good for the environment, but also helps attract young people to the program. “Agriculture is not a very sexy sector. Young people are not really keen to engage in it,” he noted. “But they are interested in technology and climate change, so we’ve integrated these elements into our program to make agriculture more attractive and relevant to their interests.”
While CAPYEI’s project emphasizes modern technology and climate-smart strategies, it is also firmly rooted in traditional farming practices and community engagement. The CSA hub is not only a training center but a community resource that brings together local farmers, youth and agriculture experts to share knowledge and provide support. Experienced farmers serve as mentors to the trainees by providing guidance and helping to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Additionally, the hub serves as an aggregation centre for the farm products so as to enhance a centralized marketing approach as well as support the youth and farmers in marketing which has been underscored as one of the major challenges.
The initial project goals are ambitious, with the potential to increase farm yields and multiply incomes ten-fold for participants. CAPYEI aims to train 50 young people — 60% of whom will be young women — to secure jobs or start their own business in the agriculture, hospitality and green job sectors. They plan to engage 25 local farmers through mentorship opportunities and access to resources at the CSA hub.
But CAPYEI hopes to drive even greater impact. The organization aims to continue to scale the program and explore how to integrate it into Kenya’s national technical and vocational education system. This would allow the model to reach thousands more young people across the country, providing them with skills and opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods.
“If 100 young people enroll in our program, it’s almost guaranteed that 85 of them will be able to earn a living wage within one year using the skills we teach,” said Kahihu. “Our goal is to ensure that every young person in Kenya has access to the same opportunities, no matter where they live.”
Return on Investment
The projected cost efficiency of this grant is $27 per person to double their income over their life (cost per DIL).
This project is estimated to cost $365 per person to increase their lifetime earnings 960%
This project is estimated to increase annual earnings by $1,171 per person, for a total additional lifetime earnings of $31,408 per person
$125,000 invested
