If there’s one thing that many agri-professonials in Africa agree on, then it is this: we need to involve youth! Youth are the next generation of farmers and their effort is needed to meet the growing global demand for food. Agri-ProFocus Tanzania Agri-Hub organised a Youth in Agri-business Forum for rallying youth to become agricultural entrepreneurs.

On the 11th of May, 2013, Agri-ProFocus Tanzania launched the Tanzania Youth in Agri-Business Forum, which is aimed at attracting and promoting youth in agri-business. Around 70 youth and business experts attended in Morogoro, about 200 km west of Dar es Salaam. Co-organising this launch were Tanzania Graduate Farmers Association (TGFA), Sua Graduate Entrepreneurs Cooperative, 4H and Farm Africa, all members of the Agri-ProFocus Tanzania farmer entrepreneurship innovation community.

Guest of Honour Mr. John Chobo, Managing Director of Chobo Investment Limited, gave an inspirational speech on how he started his own agri-business and what entrepreneurship entails. He stressed: “Passion is what entrepreneurs must have. They must live and breathe for their business enterprise. They are zealots about their business models and evangelists for their products or services. They have to be. If they weren’t, the stress and financial pressures of running a fledgling business would completely wipe them out. Without passion, resources will never be enough and they will quickly dissipate into thin air.’’

Presentations and case stories
The event also featured presentations from business experts and coaches who marked the existing potential of youth to make a decent living by venturing into agri-business. The presentations were backed up by case stories from young entrepreneurs.

“Change is often very difficult for the older generation, and so the future of agriculture and Tanzania is in the hands of the youth,” states Mr Lascelles Chen from MEBTI, the Magadu Entrepreneurship and Business Training Institute, in his presentation. To access all the presentations given, go to http://apf-tanzania.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-tanzania-youth-in-agri-business-forum-launch-event.

Best business plans
To support the youth on venturing into agri-business, 5 youth were selected to present their business ideas before business experts. Of them, 4 have now qualified for support from Agri-ProFocus Tanzania.

The winning business ideas are:

1. Mpoki Alinanuswe: Speciality high-quality butcher shop
2. Shehemba Juma: Banarose wine (made from a mixture of bananas and rosella fruits)
3. Sturmius Mtweve: Poultry farming
4. Tumaini Ngomuo: Beans farming (with a group of youth)

The 4 young entrepreneurs will receive incubation support services to make them business ready before linking them up to financiers. MEBTI has already agreed to help shape the business proposals in a way that banks will be convinced to extend loans to these young men, so they can either start-up or expand their businesses. The TYIAF will continue convening this year, and a roadmap for the future is now being laid out.

AllAfrica.com published a long article about the event! Read it now on http://allafrica.com/stories/201305280413.html.