In a groundbreaking initiative to combat youth unemployment on the African continent through urban agricultural skills, entrepreneurial knowledge, and mentorship + coaching for arising businesses. The Creating Sustainable Youth MSMEs through Urban Farming (SYMUF) Project has concluded with remarkable success. From July 8-12, 2024, The Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC) successfully hosted representatives from the African Development Bank (AfDB) which Mr. Edson Mpyisi, Chief Financial Economist and Enable Youth Coordinator led and included, Mr. Tabi Karikari, Chief Agro-industry Officer; Ms. Uzoamaka Joe-Nkamuke, Senior Agribusiness Officer; Mr. David Engwau, Senior Procurement Officer; Ms. Maria Jose Moreno Ruiz, Chief Gender Officer; Mr. Yakubu Bako, Disbursement Officer; and Mr. Yerima Jatau, Financial Management Consultant, for a five-day mission visit to assess the project’s implementation, results and impact.
 

With participants and members of the implementation consortium from The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Democratic Republic of Congo, the African Agribusiness Incubator Network (AAIN), in Uganda, and the APDC Group in Nigeria, the SYMUF project has achieved outstanding results across its Major activities:

I. Agripreneurs Incubation and Training (On-Farm): Despite targeting 360 beneficiaries, Over 400 youth have received training in urban farming, leading to the establishment of 313 agribusinesses, with a significant portion adopting climate-smart practices. Notably, 192 female beneficiaries have established their agribusinesses, highlighting the project's commitment to gender inclusivity and women's economic empowerment.
II. Youth Skill Development (Non-Farm): All Project beneficiaries received extensive training in business modelling, financial analysis, enterprise development, and digital agriculture marketing.
III. Access to Finance and Market Linkages: Over 29 agro-dealers and 41 off-takers have been linked to beneficiaries, and cooperative groups have been formed to enhance market access.
IV. Knowledge Management & Information Dissemination: The project team included over 40 young professionals (under 35 years), and the facilitators were predominantly youth, adopting a peer-to-peer approach to training. Extensive coaching and mentoring events, both virtual and physical, were organized to reach youth who couldn't directly participate, expanding the project's impact beyond immediate beneficiaries and spreading awareness about urban organic farming and climate-smart practices.
 

Addressing the mission team and the project's implementing consortium at the country office of the African Development Bank in Abuja, the Country Director, Dr Abdul Kamara, commended the SYMUF project team for exceeding its targets in record time. He assured the team of the bank's ongoing support to scale up the project's impact and transform lives.

The mission visit highlighted the project's significant impact on youth empowerment and economic development. The consortium expressed gratitude for the support of the AfDB and its partners, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration to scale up the project's successes.
 

As urban populations continue to grow across the continent, the skills, businesses, and knowledge networks developed through the SYMUF Project are poised to play a crucial role in ensuring food security, creating employment, and driving economic growth. By reimagining agriculture in an urban context, empowering youth with both technical and business skills, and creating robust knowledge-sharing mechanisms, the project's success demonstrates that urban farming can offer a viable and sustainable career path for Africa's youth. The focus remains on scaling its reach to benefit even more African youths.