On 14^th April 2022, KEPSA Foundation’s Youth Enterprise Forum (YEFO) co-hosted the Policy to Practice Roundtable Forum at Sarova Panafric Hotel in partnership with Alternatives Africa, Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR)’s Utafiti Sera Youth Employment Creation House, Agricultural Sector Network (ASNET), National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), Centre for African Bio-entrepreneurship (CABE) Africa among other partners. The Forum sought to tap into the evidence gathered by the Utafiti Sera Project over the past two years, for the development of private sector inclusive business strategies that will enable/catalyse youth employment creation and enterprise development in the piloted mango and potato value-chains, and for replication in other sectors and value-chains.

Present at the forum was Ms. Flora Mutahi – KEPSA Chairperson; Arch. Lee Karuri – KEPSA Foundation Immediate Past Chair and KEPSA Trustee; Mr. Ben Roberts – KEPSA ICT and Youth Sector Board Chair; Ms. Waithera Gaitho – Executive Director, Alternatives Africa and Vice-Chair, KEPSA ICT and Youth Sector Board; Mr. Duncan Mochama – Co-Lead, YEFO; Mr. Kwame Owino – CEO, Institute of Economic Affairs; Dr. Vimal Shah – Chair, Bidco Africa and Mkenya Daima; Ms. Sari Seppänen – Office of the UN Resident Coordinator; Mr. Edward Kinyungu – Patron, Mimi na Wewe Youth Savings and Credit Cooperative; Ms. Jane Ngige – Vice-Chair, ASNET; Mr. Joel Otieno – Programme Officer, Research and Policy Uptake at PASGR, among other stakeholders.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Gaitho acknowledged the contribution of KEPSA towards establishing institutional structures for youth enterprise development while stating that what started as a subsector committee is a now full-fledged KEPSA Youth Subsector under the KEPSA ICT & Youth Sector Board. She, however, noted that the journey has not been without a fair share of challenges, especially in data and policy implementation. “This is why we have partnered with PASGR to gather data on the youth in enterprise in agriculture sector and in the potato and mango value chains.” She remarked.

The KEPSA Chairperson reaffirmed KEPSA’s commitment to support the youth noting that the KEPSA leadership was working to ensure that each sector board promotes the youth agenda. “We know we have a bulging economy and our demographic is all about youth, which we are very clear we need to support so that we can actually harness that dividend that is important for the country’s economy,” She noted. Ms. Mutahi also challenged the youth to make a difference by moving out of their comfort zone and strategically grabbing the opportunities in the business world.

Arch. Karuri emphasised the need for a paradigm shift for the youth to be job creators as opposed to job seekers. He noted that every year, more than a million young people come into the job market looking for opportunities. Unfortunately, he said, the mindset that had been propagated for many years is that one gets educated so that they can get a job, a model that he said was not sustainable anymore.  “We must find solutions for our young people. A job creator is an entrepreneur and that is why this meeting is very important to promote youth enterprise,” He said.

Mr. Otieno of PASGR stated that the organisation works with partners to ensure that it contributes research evidence that is leading toward policy and by so doing unveiling opportunities in the agriculture and agro-processing sectors for the youth. “Our vision as PASGR and what we work towards is to realise a vibrant African social research community and this is to contribute towards addressing continental policy challenges. One of those challenges that are relevant for this time is youth unemployment,” Said Mr. Otieno.

Mr. Roberts highlighted the area technology can support the agriculture sector, noting that the ICT sector can support agriculture, especially in smart agriculture using sensors and the internet to collect data on soil, and weather and combing the feedback data collected from the satellites. This information, he said, can be processed and be used in making actionable real-time decisions like in irrigation. “We are already working with the National Irrigation Authority whereby we’re doing some trials in irrigation technology that has significantly reduced the amount of water farmers are consuming and in extension the labour force.” He added.

Ms. Sari Seppänen from the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator noted that the private sector is key for policy formulation in Kenya by not only making sure that the wheel spins, but to make sure that it actually spins in the right direction. He added that the right direction is ensuring SDG-oriented private sector entities are in the leadership to make sure that youth and women-led enterprises are upscaled. Her sentiments were shared by the Vice-Chair of ASNET who said “Whatever it takes, the private sector must get involved in policy formulation. If we get that wrong, we will not be able to move forward.” 

“The burden of cost and time for young people to establish a business is unbelievably complex in this country with 11 to 14 different offices to visit to acquire necessary documentation,” Said Mr. Owino of the Institute of Economic Affairs. Dr. Shah also reiterated the harsh operating environment for businesses by pointing out that the issue of multiple licenses, especially for the county government, is addressed to ensure that the successes of devolution are not tainted by a few misdeeds.

The need to synergize efforts towards ensuring that policies that affect the youth are put to practice was underscored in a panel discussion on Creation and Acceleration of Youth Employment and Enterprise Development featuring Mr. Jacobus Kiilu – Kenya Crop and Dairy Marketing Systems Development; Mr. Wachira Kaguongo – CEO, National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK); Ms. Elizabeth Mueni – Director Social Sector, Policy and Strategy Unit, Executive Office of the President and Moderated by Ms. Agatha Thuo – General Manager, ASNET.