Agri-Systems as a Bridge between Subsistence Farming and Youth Economic Welfare in Sub Sahara Africa: A Case of Nakuru County Kenya

Abstract

Young people represent around one-fifth of the world’s population and half of the total unemployed global workforce are the youth. In Kenya, over half of the total population is youth and a majority of them live in rural areas and are unemployed. Most rural youths engage in self-reliance projects to improve their livelihoods. This paper examines the future of rural youth agri-projects in Sub-Sahara Africa. The article is based on a study conducted to determine the effects of self-reliance projects on the livelihoods of youth in selected rural areas of Nakuru County, Kenya. Thorough surveys of youth self-reliance projects and livelihoods were conducted in Nakuru County, Kenya in 2017 by the author. The study surveyed youth who were actively undertaking self-reliance projects aimed at enhancing their livelihood. The surveys included information on the nature and type of self-reliance projects undertaken, the contribution of self-reliance projects to youth economic welfare and the challenges facing the youth and how they overcome them when undertaking the projects. The overall conclusion of this study and other related studies is that youth agri projects are having a significant contribution to their economic welfare in the rural areas, thus improving their livelihoods and hence bridging the way Agri-systems are being enhanced