Young farmers in Kenya are earning more – but deep-rooted challenges remain

Young people in rural Kenya are enjoying higher incomes and secure work through agriculture, according to a new mid-term review of a Practical Action programme designed to support 100,000 entrepreneurs.

The work, known as the Resilient Agriculture that Works for Young People (RAY) programme, shows strong progress towards its target.

The programme has come at a critical time. In Kenya, four in ten young people are unemployed, with young women disproportionately affected. Many others remain trapped in low-paying and insecure work.

As a result, young people continue to migrate to cities in search of opportunities, leaving farms to be run by older generations, despite the huge potential for profitable food production and stronger local economies.

Practical Action is working in western Kenya, where formal job opportunities are limited and rural businesses offer a real pathway to earning a decent living.

Over the three years of the programme, results have been promising, although obstacles remain.

• By April 2026, the programme had reached more than 102,500 young people across nine counties, exceeding its target of 100,000. Around 71% are young women and 5.7% are people with disabilities.
• Monthly incomes have increased from Kshs 5,690 (£31.60) to Kshs 15,280 (£84.90) – a rise of around 168%.
• Young women’s control over household income has grown from 34% to 58%, with greater involvement in production and sales decisions.
• 97% of young people involved in the programme are now adopting regenerative farming practices such as mulching and composting.
• Nearly 10,000 youth mentors have supported more than 70,000 peers to start and grow agribusinesses.
• Community acceptance of young women working in agribusiness increased from 59.7% to 73.8%.

One African leafy vegetables farmer, Justine Wesonga, from Busia County, said:

“Before, we grew vegetables mainly for household consumption, but now we are selling consistently. The best part is they require few inputs, so our costs stay low while income comes in regularly every week.”

The mid-term review, conducted between November 2025 and January 2026, shows that this approach is beginning to deliver tangible results.

But barriers such as limited access to land, finance, skills and markets alongside restrictive social norms, including unequal  gender expectations, social stigma, and barriers linked to  disability that limit  participation for young women and people with disabilities.

• Access to credit remains unequal, particularly for women who often lack land titles and remain excluded from formal banking systems.
• Women continue to face barriers in accessing formal markets, with limited mobility, smaller-scale production and discrimination restricting opportunities.
• People with disabilities still face barriers to participation, highlighting the need for more inclusive approaches.

Practical Action has worked with county governments and private sector partners to address these challenges by strengthening how local markets function and connect farmers, suppliers, buyers and finance, improving access to finance, and supporting young people to develop profitable agribusinesses.

As a result, the programme is also helping drive wider change. County governments are giving greater attention to young people in agribusiness, with several including it in their local development plans. Young farmers are also increasingly working together through groups and cooperatives, helping them secure better prices and sell to larger buyers such as schools and hotels.

Community finance systems are also strengthening, particularly through Youth Savings and Loan Associations, which are becoming an important source of finance for young women. At the same time, attitudes towards women in agriculture are beginning to shift, with more women leasing land, leading group marketing activities and supplying local markets.

Michael Ohatto, Project Manager for the RAY programme, said:

“We are seeing changes not just in incomes, but in how agriculture works for young people.

“From stronger market connections to increased confidence among young women, these are the kinds of shifts that create lasting impact. For many young people, the change is already clear.

“The progress is significant, but it also highlights where more needs to be done.

“If we are to sustain and scale these gains, we must address the structural barriers particularly around land, finance and market access that still hold many young people back”.

The Resilient Agriculture for Young People programme focuses not only on helping young people improve their livelihoods, but also on strengthening the wider systems that enable them to succeed, from markets and finance to policy and social norms.

The £8.1 million (US$10 million) programme, delivered by Practical Action and the Kenya Female Advisory Organization (KEFEADO) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation , is working to make agriculture a more resilient and attractive source of work for young people.