African Youth Drive Agricultural Transformation with ENABLE Youth Funding
With over 237,000 jobs created and nearly 100,000 youth empowered across 18 African countries, the African Development Bank’s ENABLE Youth Programme is transforming agriculture into a thriving, youth-led industry.
The $669 million investment is proving that access to capital, coupled with skills development, can unlock Africa’s vast agricultural potential.
Launched in 2016, the Empowering Novel Agri-Business-Led Employment (ENABLE) Youth Programme aims to create 300,000 agribusinesses and empower young entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to reshape food systems across the continent. The initiative aligns with the Bank’s 2025 Annual Meetings theme: “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”
In Kenya, Faith Timona Mumo, Co-founder of Iviani Farm Limited, exemplifies this transformation. With an interest-free loan from the ENABLE Youth Programme, Mumo has expanded her agribusiness, turning fresh produce into dried snacks with a shelf life of over 24 months.
Her company sources from more than 5,000 smallholder farmers, helping reduce postharvest losses, which she says can reach up to 80% annually.
“I used the funds to build fish ponds, install solar power, and modernize our aquaculture systems. These improvements doubled our fingerling production,” said Mumo, who also supports fish farming in arid regions.
Similarly, Washington Maina, founder of Centro Energy Limited, used ENABLE Youth financing to rehabilitate his fish hatchery. His company now produces 120,000 tilapia and 60,000 African catfish fingerlings monthly, helping meet national demand.
According to Edson Mpyisi, ENABLE Youth Programme Coordinator, the initiative demonstrates how strategic investments in agri-SMEs can boost resilience, drive innovation, and create economic opportunities in both rural and urban areas.
As the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) prioritizes youth empowerment, Mpyisi affirmed that more targeted investments will follow, unlocking the potential of Africa’s demographic dividend.
“Agriculture is not just farming—it’s a gateway to economic empowerment, especially for women,” said Mumo, urging more African women to explore sectors like aquaculture.
With capital that works, African youth are proving they can lead the continent’s agricultural transformation—one agribusiness at a time.
