July 8th, 2025

The 2024 FinAccess Household Survey reveals a striking trend: farming as a livelihood is declining more than any other sector.

Why the drop in agriculture?

From conversations, a common refrain emerges:

“We’ve left farming to the old.”
“My mum says, ‘I wish my kids were as into farming as I am—they’ve got the energy!’”
“Youth say they lack land, capital, and know-how. But deeper down, they just don’t see farming as a future.”

It’s not just a perception problem—it’s a missed opportunity.

The data agrees: 64.5% of older Kenyans farm for livelihood or subsistence, but only 30.8% of youth aged 18–35 do.

Reimagining rural livelihoods: Farming plus

Millions of young people aged 18–35 live in rural Kenya, yet nearly a third are casual labourers and a quarter are unemployed. While only about 8% of Kenya’s land is arable, there is untapped potential in the broader rural economy. Opportunities exist not just in farming itself, but in the ecosystems around it—what we might call “farming plus.” Youth can be engaged as service providers, aggregators, agri-tech innovators, and entrepreneurs supporting rural value chains. The challenge is not just about land or labour—it’s about reimagining rural livelihoods as dynamic, multi-dimensional, and full of possibility.

So, what can farming offer our youth—and what can youth offer farming?

The future of rural livelihoods doesn’t lie in farming alone, but in the broader ecosystem around it.

Can youth lead the charge in tech-enabled agriculture—from precision farming and drip irrigation to climate-smart innovations that boost productivity and resilience?

Can they contribute not just as farmers, but as service providers—para-extension workers, agri-tech agents, or members of youth-led cooperatives offering mechanisation, marketing, and digital services to older farmers? These models can create economies of scale and sustainable livelihoods.

And what about agri-entrepreneurship? Youth-led micro-enterprises can unlock value across the food system—from input supply and logistics to agro-processing and market development. The opportunity isn’t just to farm—but to build businesses that support farming and transform rural economies.

The missing link: Financial inclusion

Rural youth are among the most financially excluded groups in Kenya—28% do not even have access to mobile money. In an economy increasingly driven by digital tools and platforms, this isn’t just financial exclusion—it’s economic exclusion.

The data makes the challenge clear. But the solution requires more than access—it demands a future-focused financial ecosystem that recognises youth not just as beneficiaries, but as drivers of agricultural transformation through innovation, services, and enterprise.

 

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