What are the examples of existing post-capacity development sustainability initiatives for youth in agriculture in Africa? What works and what does not? Are there any success stories and good practices that can be shared?
There are keys factors that will lead to the sustainability of capacity development initiatives. These include space (office or land) for youth to exibit the skills and knowlegde acquired, finance to implement innovative ideas and business mentoring. A good example is the Kosmos Innovation Centre(KIC) AgriTech Challenge in Ghana where youth were trained in business modules, team building and other relevant soft skils to establish and manage thier business in the agricultural technological space. Team formed by youth were tasked to come put with ideas to solve real agricultural problems to compete for two winners price of $100,000.00. Each winner is given $50,000.00, an office space to operate from, mentors to guide them and other supports needed for establishement. Winners from the KIC AgriTech Challenge since its inception in 2016 include TrotroTractor Ltd, Ghalani, AgriInnova, and QualiTrace. Trotro Tractor Ltd (www.trotrotractor.com) for instance is a powerful platform created to link farmers to tractor operators therby solving mechanization problems of farmers. This solution in mechanization is made possible because of a solid system put in place KIC and MEST for post capacity development sustainability.
There is also the need to create interaction platforms between the trainers, trainees and other relevant stakeholder to support the enterprises established by the youth. Follow ups are key element of success. Follow ups makes youth more responsibility in their businesses.
What works is a capaicity building with all things provided thus a whole package capacity building with funds, networks, space (land), mentorship and right business environment. For instance a business environment that registration of businessess take a long time, interest rates on loans very high, market barriers etc will not lead to post capacity development to be sustained.
M. Kafui Agbe