Youth Agro-tourism Project (YAP)

The project will address poverty, limited education opportunities, youth unemployment, food insecurity which come along with sexual and gender based violence, limited participation of youth especially the females in leadership and economic development spaces. With over 75% of the total population in Uganda, over 14.3% youth are unemployed. More over, agriculture is the backbone of Uganda's economy and yet few youth are profitably employed in the sector.

I propose establishment of an agro-tourism and learning centre that focuses on promoting growing indigenous Ugandan crops with emphasis on seed multiplication, value addition, climate friendly agronomic practices, financial literary and networking. The centre will be manned by 30 youth focusing on different crop enterprises, technologies and marketing.

The solution will create employment, promote food security, increase youth participation in agriculture value chain and markets, widen learning in agriculture for community, schools and tourists and will feed into government youth livelihood programs. 

Rural youth especially females have limited access to profitable employment opportunities. Many of them are in the informal sector due to the low or no education levels.Uneducated girls are highly susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases as well as other health complications. Health issues put girls at a risk of not continuing their education. In 2015, around 567 young people between the ages of 15 to 24 contracted HIV/AIDS on a weekly basis. For girls who have dropped out of school, improved economic opportunities can offer an alternative to early family formation and put them on a path toward a healthy future. Increased female income can affect marriage and fertility outcomes through alleviating social and familial pressure for early marriage and fertility, loss in earnings associated with child-rearing is an opportunity cost that may increase young women’s desire to delay marriage and childbearing and higher earnings may improve a females’s bargaining power within the household and allow her to negotiate contraceptive use and delays in sexual debut or marriage. Uganda has a high rate of youth unemployment in Africa as the qualifications of graduates don’t match the market needs. There is need for technical skills training in profitable vocations in agriculture. 

The Youth Agro-tourism Project will establish a centre for learning and agro-tourism of indigenous Ugandan crops that address food security and nutritional needs of the people. The centre will pilot new climate friendly agriculture technologies, seed multiplication and value addition of crop produce. The centre will produce quarterly leaflets on technologies on seed multiplication, growing and value addition of particular crops and disseminate them on social media. Tourism and learning will be enhanced as communities, schools and visitors come to learn the new techniques. Income will be generated from the tourist and learning fees, marketing of seeds, food produced and value added products. The youth will also be equipped with soft skills including finance management, leadership and advocacy. The centre will be managed by 30 youth in Kakooge sub county, Nakasongola district Uganda. Shadows of a Child already has space the centre will be established. 

The solution is directly targeting youth including rural single young mothers and males who had limited opportunities in education and employment. Much as the centre will be directly managed by 30 youth, 100 more youth will be engaged in the value chain especially through marketing of the products. It will also engage government extension workers to create that link between the project and national youth livelihood programs. We have been engaging these youth in training of soft skills in entrepreneurship, agriculture, leadership, issue selling, communication and sexual productive health rights. We know that youth have the solution to address unemployment hence this concept has been birthed out of actively engaging them on how to use the available resources to create employment. The solution is building upon the skills they have in agriculture to address the unemployment challenge. On wider area, the solution will also benefit community members, students and visitors as they come to learn and replicate the agriculture practices. Moreover, youth will have increased knowledge and skills to sustain them economically beyond formal schooling, will have increased leadership abilities to informed decisions about their socio-economic development  and feel encouraged and supported to meaningfully engage in agriculture.

The solution is relating to creating enabling small and new businesses, especially in untapped communities, to prosper and create good jobs through access to capital, networks, and technology. Much as Nakasongola district is an agro based community, there has never been an agro-tourism centre. More over the venture is totally youth led and managed. Nakasongola is also main tourist path to game parks and Murchison falls hence the centre will be well situated. The solution is building upon these existing opportunities for youth to create jobs, build upon technologies in agriculture, establish markets, enhance learning and sharing of knowledge. 

Much as there are agriculture learning sites and a few agrotourism centres, this solution is unique because it is first Agro-tourism centre in Nakasongola district and the surrounding areas. It will be stationed in a central place and  will be accessible by surrounding communities. The project aims to creating an enabling environment for agrotourism development and to also leverage funds, investments and public partnerships to promote agrotourism and its associated value chains in order to improve agricultural productivity and scale up local sourcing. More over, youths are the inheritor of the farming generation and therefore the future of food security in Uganda. The ageing smallholder farmers are less likely to adopt the new technologies needed to sustain increase in agricultural productivity. This effort seeks to enhance youths in actively participating in agriculture hence promoting their self-reliance and contribution towards the agriculture sector in Uganda. The project is also targeting both males and female youth to complement gender dynamics in agricultural activities.  

The agro-tourism centre will promote climate friendly agronomic practices, good natural resource management practices, seed multiplication and preservation of indigenous food crop varieties building upon traditional knowledge with integration of modern practices. We will acquire registered and certified seed as well as look out for these rapidly disappearing seed varieties and multiply them through propagation. Seed multiplication practices such as banana, sun drying, storage will be used. The seeds will also be properly packed for marketing. 

The project will promote different types of yams, bananas, legumes, vegetables and pulses. These practices will be showcased at the agro-tourism centre for learning and adoption by communities, students and reaching a wider audiences via social media through documentation.

Youth have the energy and quickly adopt new methods hence are the suitable targets for this intervention. In addition, their contribution to an otherwise older-generation dominated sector (agriculture) will be recognized. 

 A few agrotourism centres have been set up in Uganda to tap into this growing industry. The industry brings together private sector, public sector and the local communities to provide a niche tourist destination that incorporates rural culture with focus on foods and livelihoods as a tourist attraction. They enable especially rural communities to contribute towards tourism through inter linkages of agricultural activities and practices and the way of living of rural youth to sustainably promote the environment and utilise available resources for both community and national development. More over, the agro-tourism concept is premised on traditional farming practices of indigenous foods to promote food security, learning and sharing, creating networks with public and private sectors. 

Here is a link about agro tourism.

https://www.insightsafariholidays.com/farm-tours-uganda-agritourism#:~:text=Farm%20tours%20also%20known%20as,earn%20more%20from%20their%20farms.

The Youth Agrotourism project will create and increase employment opportunities for rural youth in the agriculture sector. At the centre, tourism, learning visits, seed packing and value added products will be the main income generation arms of the project. Food security and nutrition will be promoted as people access the indigenous seeds for crop growing. This will be achieved through establishing good natural resource management practices, climate friendly agriculture practices, seed multiplication, value addition, marketing and networking and disseminating good practices through social media. Capacity building among the youth will conducted to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge for the enterprise. The youth will be identified through a rigorous exercise of calling for expression interest to participate. Those with at least Uganda Certificate of Education qualification will be considered, permanent residents of the target communities and those with a bias in agriculture and marketing. We assume that young farmers will be able to be resilient and adapt to climate changes so that their yields are not negatively affected and the district and sub county local leaders support the interventions through participating in review meetings, supervision, providing information and feedback as well as technical support. 

The solution is directly serving 100 youth in one year. These youth will be directly involved in running of the Agrotourism centre and marketing of the products and services offered. As the centre is developed, tourists, students and community members will come to learn the practices that are being piloted there. This will start happening within six months of the project. We estimate to attract at least 20 tourists, 4 schools and 50 community members on a monthly basis. In five years, the project will reach at least 100,000 people. 

Through enhancing the agro-tourism centre, we therefore seek to promote inclusive involvement of vulnerable youth, in social economic development processes through agriculture and entrepreneurship training, life skills and leadership development thereby reducing the gender gap and poverty. It will create sustainable and decent employment for youth through agriculture diversification of career prospects and personal development, thereby reducing the gender gap and poverty. We seek to:

To empower youth with agro-enterprise and life skills that will enable socio-economic growth and sustainability.

To enable and equip young women and men with knowledge and skills to participate in economic and civic leadership spaces in the community. 

Financial risks include devaluation of Uganda shilling and inflation that may lead to increase of prices.

Tensions between government and the project, leading to part of the programme not being implemented.

Changing priorities of the government due to post-elections in 2021 lead unclear political environment likely to delay or stop of programme implementation.

Drastic climate changes that may affect the crop production.

Some of the indigenous seeds are rapidly disappearing hence it may be hard to get them.

We will monitor political and economic situation closely and adapt budgeting and funding and manage the project funds on a Dollar account, rather than a Shilling account.

Tensions between government and the project, leading to part of the programme not being implemented, the program relies entirely on effective collaboration with the government, so we strive for joint working relationship between government and the project building on the already good working relationship that exists, open and transparent communication between stakeholders in the programme and relevant government bodies will be ensured.

Monitor political situation closely, we will continue to stress the importance of the Human rights in the current economic difficult times.

Climate friendly practices and proper natural resource management will be adopted to deal with changing weather patterns. In addition, the project will keep updated with weather changes to make informed decisions. 

The solution is part of Shadows of a Child;  a non profit non government organization that is passionate about youth and children in vulnerable situations in Nakasongola district, Uganda. SoC engages youth and youth in programs such as emergency and rescue, food security and nutrition, forming groups, vocational skilling, Sexual Reproductive Health, agriculture, and HIV prevention and advocacy. SoC has set up vocational skilling centres for tailoring and design, Arts and Crafts, leadership development to provide an environment for growth. SoC will provide the space where the centre will be established. It will also provide space for administrative issues. 

The project will be implemented by 4 full time staff including the project coordinator, two agriculture officers and marketing officer.

The monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance officer, accountant, media and communication officer will provide 30% of time. 

The project will work with contractors in one construction firm, at least 4 seed suppliers and 2 government officials in the office of production. 

Our team has diverse and complimentary skills and qualifications that will work well for the project. The project coordinator has experience and qualification in project planning and management and community development, the agriculture officers are trained in agriculture, the marketing officer has knowledge and experience in marketing and public relations. The M&E and quality assurance officer has experience and training in M&E while the Accountant has professional qualification in ACCA. The media and communications officer has wide experience in documentation and managing communications and correspondences on social media and with partners and stakeholders. We are situated in Nakasongola district where propose to have the Youth Agrotourism Centre. 

Our offices are located within the community hence we will provide support supervision and monitoring as well as supporting in the records and reports. 

Our current partners include:

The local government office of production of Nakasongola district to provide extension services.

Community development services of Nakasongola district to link program to government initiatives. 

Great Value Safaris who provides funding for some of our programs. 

Shadows of a Child will provide the land where the centre will 

The key customers include community people who will purchase the seeds and crops produced.

Students and community members will come and attend learning visits and will pay a fee. The youth manning the project will also provide on-farm extension services for community people at a fee. 

Tourists will come to visit the centre and pay fees for the visits. 

The crops produced will be sold to the market including farmer markets, restaurants and households.

The value added products will be sold to the market including schools, canteens, offices. 

The Youth Agro-tourism project will be sustained through the sell of products including the seeds, crop produce and food products that have been added value to. 

The project will sell services i.e. the knowledge and skills through learning visits at the centre, extension services on farms in the community.

The products and services will be marketed at local government offices, networks, schools, community and social media.

Solve can help me overcome dealing with the drastic climate changes as we will be able to adopt climate friendly practices and proper natural resource management with changing weather patterns. In addition, Solve will support us with costs will keep updated with weather changes to make informed decisions. Furthermore, Solve will help in looking out for the indigenous food species that are hard to find and are rapidly disappearing.

To strengthen partnerships with public and private sector for supplies and sell of products and services.

To empower youth profitably participate in agriculture value chain.

I would like to partner with MIT faculty or initiatives, tour companies to link travelers for tour visits at the centre, education institutions, agro-focused organizations and Solve members whose strength is in Information Communication and Technology.

The Youth Agro-tourism Project is small and new business not explored in Nakasongola district and builds upon existing resources including land, human capital to weather economic shocks, prosper, and create good jobs through access to capital, networks, and technology through agribusiness. 

The GM Prize will enable the team meet the costs to set up the centre as well as meet the operating costs. 

The team will benefit from the technological knowledge that the GM team can share to build upon traditional resources and existing agriculture technologies to scale up agro-based products and services.