Improving Livelihoods through Youth-Adult Partnerships involving School-based, Agripreneurship Projects: The Experiences of Adult Partners in Uganda

Abstract

The increasing number of unemployed and underemployed youth across the globe, especially in developing countries, has reached alarming levels. In Africa, for example, this phenomenon has led to some youth making treacherous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe and other parts of the world in search of better livelihoods. Such an influx of immigrants, primarily to Europe and North America, has caused resentment and outcries by many citizens of the affected nations. Some of these challenges, however, could be allayed by engaging youth in income-generating projects, including agricultural entrepreneurship, i.e., agripreneurship, to create jobs and improve livelihoods. This may be achieved through Youth-Adult Partnerships (YAPs) by which youth and adults work together on agricultural projects of mutual interest. This study explored the experiences of adult partners in Uganda who collaborated with youth on their school-based, agripreneurial projects (SAPs) involving the raising of broiler chickens. Because of their partnership working on SAPs, both the youths’ and adults’ knowledge and understanding of concepts related to agripreneurship and raising of broilers chickens improved. The need exists to provide an enabling environment to promote an agripreneurial culture among youth through Y-APs if we seek to inspire them to pursue agripreneurship and related opportunities for job creation while also enabling the food security of communities and improved livelihoods for their citizens. Keywords: agripreneurship; improving livelihoods; project-based learning; school-based agripreneurial projects; youth unemployment; youth-adult partnerships

Distribution and farmers knowledge on Fusarium wilt (Race 1) in cropping systems of Uganda

“…It was interesting to discover in this study that a notable number (8.4%) of university graduates owned banana farms and were engaged in daily management of plantations. It is envisaged that the future of agriculture lies in the hands of youths, as the need for youths into agriculture has been documented (Irungu et al, 2015;Mukembo and Edwards, 2020). In Uganda, the call for more youths in agriculture has been emphasized in the National Development Plan phase 3 (NDP III) (National Planning Authority, 2020).…”

Correlational analysis of parental occupation on students’ agripreneurial competency skills and choice of agribusiness after graduation in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria

“…According to Stephen et al (2020), due to an aging agricultural population together with high levels of youth unemployment, the need exists to interest youth especially young university graduates to create and pursue innovative approaches to agricultural production and its allied sectors. Such initiatives could involve the integration of agriculture and entrepreneurship, as learned through school-based, agripreneurship (agribusiness) projects (SAPs), to overcome poverty, food insecurity, and youth unemployment (Mukembo, 2017). Agripreneurship involves the application of entrepreneurial principles to identify, develop, and manage viable agricultural enterprises optimally and sustainably for profit and improved livelihoods (Mukembo & Edwards, 2015a).…”

“…Agripreneurship involves the application of entrepreneurial principles to identify, develop, and manage viable agricultural enterprises optimally and sustainably for profit and improved livelihoods (Mukembo & Edwards, 2015a). For example, students could apply the knowledge and skills acquired in entrepreneurship courses to recognize opportunities in agriculture (Mukembo, 2017;Uscanga et al, 2019). To become successful agripreneurs, students ought to acquire many competencies associated with entrepreneurship (Mukembo, 2017).…”

“…For example, students could apply the knowledge and skills acquired in entrepreneurship courses to recognize opportunities in agriculture (Mukembo, 2017;Uscanga et al, 2019). To become successful agripreneurs, students ought to acquire many competencies associated with entrepreneurship (Mukembo, 2017).…”