A review has explored the pathways, business models and drivers for youth employment in Africa’s agricultural sector by gaining research and insights from young people and stakeholders involved in youth empowerment activities in Uganda.
The CABI-led review, published in the journal CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, identified six key employment pathways: primary production, agri-service provision, market facilitation, value addition, agri-dealership, and green entrepreneurship.
Researchers from CABI found that scalable and sustainable business models across these pathways are characterised by mechanisms such as collective action, contractual arrangements, certification schemes, and revenue-sharing strategies, which help young entrepreneurs overcome challenges related to capital, market access, and knowledge gaps.
Business model configurations enable replication across different contexts
They suggest that business model configurations like service bundling, embedded services, digital platforms, and marketplace models enhance reach and operational efficiency, enabling replication across different contexts.
Meanwhile, digital innovations, they argue, allow rapid scaling by expanding value chains into interconnected value networks. Furthermore, they state that formal and informal networks are vital for building social capital, enhancing entrepreneurial capacity, and integrating youth into dynamic agricultural value chains.
The scientists stress that long-term sustainability and scalability should be reinforced through targeted policy interventions, accessible financing, and youth-inclusive support structures that align business models with evolving market demands and ecological considerations.
Diverse aspirations, capacities, and resource endowments of young people
Dr Monica Kansiime, an author of the review and CABI’s Deputy Director, Development and Outreach, Africa, said, “Youth engagement in agribusiness presents a crucial opportunity to tackle youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa while simultaneously driving the inclusive and sustainable transformation of the agricultural sector.
“The six distinct pathways identified in this study, ranging from farming and primary production to service provision, value addition, and green entrepreneurship, provide entry points that can be tailored to the diverse aspirations, capacities, and resource endowments of young people.
“These pathways, supported by innovative business models such as producer-driven, buyer-driven, and intermediary-driven approaches, are set to create value for the sector by delivering economic benefits for youth and farmers while enhancing productivity and promoting environmental sustainability.”
Address systemic constraints through strategic interventions
She added that governments and development partners must also address systemic constraints through strategic interventions such as land reforms that enable youth access to land, innovative financing mechanisms like micro-loans, and competency-based training that equips youth with technical, business, and entrepreneurial skills.
Furthermore, Dr Kansiime said digital tools, such as mobile-based extension services, mechanisation platforms, and e-commerce solutions, can improve market access, resource efficiency, and business performance.
“Ensuring equitable access to these technologies and supporting infrastructure will accelerate the growth and resilience of youth led enterprises and boost productivity. Equally important is the adoption of gender-responsive policies that lower barriers for young women, enabling their full participation and contribution to agricultural growth,” she said.
The researchers say that policies and public investments should support the diverse needs of youth across all pathways and business models – since youth often engage in multiple pathways simultaneously, a holistic and integrated approach is needed.
Dr Morris Akiri, a co-author of the review and Senior Regional Director, Africa, at CABI, said, “NGOs and other development actors, while more likely to offer specialised or short-term support, should align efforts to fill gaps and complement broader government-led initiatives.
“A coordinated, inclusive, and evidence-informed strategy will be essential to unlock the full potential of youth in agribusiness and build a vibrant, future-ready agricultural sector.”
Additional information
Main image: A young agro-dealer engages with a smallholder farmer in Uganda (Credit: Emmanuel Edupet, Media Factory Uganda for CABI).
Full paper reference
Kansiime, M. K., Aliamo, C., Alokit, C., Rware, H., Murungi, D., Kamulegeya, P., Ssenyonga, A., Sseryazi, A., Mayambala, G., Wanjiku Kiarie, L., Kadzamira, M. A., Akiri, M., & Mulema, J. M. (2025). Pathways and business models for sustainable youth employment in agriculture: A review of research and practice in Africa. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience. https://doi.org/10.1079/ab.2025.0045
The paper can be read open access here.
Funding statement
This work is funded under CABI’s PlantwisePlus programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); the European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA, EU); the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR); and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (MARA).
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