Agribusiness Project Targets Youths With Sh50 Million for Ventures - A Sh50 million agribusiness programme has been launched to benefit youths being rehabilitated from alcoholism and crime in Murang'a County. The youths will now be mobilised into groups and be funded to engage in horticulture, rabbit and bee keeping, dairy farming as well as coffee and rice growing projects. The programme would be fully implemented by May. Murang'a DC George Natembeya said that the project would benefit at least 50 groups comprising about 5,000 youths.

He said beneficiary districts will be Mathioya, Kahuro, Kangema and Kiharu "which for a long time have harboured cells of Mungiki adherents and who after a deadly confrontation with the government in 2007, the survivors opted to reform". Youths in other areas, who have sobered up following the enactment of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act (popularly known as the Mututho laws), have started searching for ways to economically empower themselves through agribusiness.

"These are the young and energetic men who after years of engaging in alcoholism and crime have reformed and are willing to engage in economic activities," he said.

Mr Natembeya said that the money is part of government allocation for projects to fight hunger and boost wealth creation in the district as well as grants from donors.

He said the government will give out Sh2 million whereas the European Union and the County Council of Murang'a would top up the kitty.

Further, MPs will be mobilised to replicate the programme in their constituencies by utilising the devolved funds under their patronage.In the drive, private sector would be brought on board to offer logistics support like farm inputs at fair prices.

Mr Natembeya also said he has applied for funding from the Ministry of Agriculture to expand the programme to benefit women groups too.

He said the ministry will launch an agricultural development fund, which he said could those in the rehabilitation programme.

"We are specifically targeting the reformed Mungiki adherents and alcoholics who after reforming need to be occupied economically so that they can move their lives forward," he said.

Mr Natembeya said the reformed youths have started founding families whereas those whose wives had run away due to their wayward ways were reuniting with their spouses.

Murang'a mayor, Ms Lucy Kimwe, said that the initiative would help stabilise young families in the region.

"Excessive and reckless alcoholism as well as crime had denied us the joy of celebrating new births. We are now happy that soon we will regain our social joy of celebrating new births," she said.

Murang'a Irrigation Officer, Mr Josephat Rukenya, said that the youths would practise irrigation farming in their ventures as opposed to the traditional rain-fed agriculture.

"This will guarantee them sustainable incomes," he said.

Mr Rukenya added that he was impressed by the response the initiative has generated. He said many youths are flocking into his office in search of information on how to benefit.

Mwangi Muiruri

Business Daily/03/01/2012