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YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN COFFEE

YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN COFFEE. Progreso Network Webinar Presented by: Chuaga Kinuthia 31 st July, 2014. Outline. Introduction The big question? The current status. Must we have the youths in coffee? How do we engage the youth in coffee ? Why should the youth grow coffee ?

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YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN COFFEE

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  1. YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN COFFEE Progreso Network Webinar Presented by: Chuaga Kinuthia 31st July, 2014

  2. Outline • Introduction • The big question? • The current status. • Must we have the youths in coffee? • How do we engage the youth in coffee? • Why should the youth grow coffee? • Other opportunities available for the youths. • Can the youths be involved in coffee marketing? • Technology + Youth + Coffee = ? • Way forward?

  3. introduction • In many african coffee producing countries, average age of coffee farmers is increasing. • Youth do not find it attractive to stay in coffee and leave the coffee farms to their elders. • Continuation of coffee production by “the next generation” is therefore at stake.

  4. introduction • Youths are the future of the agricultural sector. • As the world population grows, agricultural productivity decreases and rural exodus threatens sustainable food production and supply. • Young farmers play an important role in ensuring food security for future generations.

  5. THE BIG QUESTION? • Why have we lost the youth in the coffee production? • How comes less or no young people own coffee bushes? • Where have we lost the young people? • Have we lost ground in trying to introduce young people to coffee growing? • Is there a way we can involve the young in coffee production?

  6. The current status • Fewer youths are members of any contract farming • Youths are underrepresented in membership and governance of farmers associations • Youths have less resources in terms of land, technologyand credit. • Youths have less access to technical training and extension programmes • Finally youths do not see a future for themselves in agriculture and most migrate to cities

  7. must we have the youths in coffee? • YES! PRODUCTIVITY: • With the average age of a coffee farmer at 60 years, industry players forecast an unproductive sub-sector due to low numbers of young people taking up coffee farming.

  8. CAREER CHOICE: • Agriculture has a negative image as a career choice in the eyes of the youth • The perception needs to be changed by focusing on making it attractive to young people. • They are ideal catalysts for changegiven their greater propensity and willingness to adopt new ideas, concepts and technology. • These are all critical in changing the way coffee farming is practiced and perceived.

  9. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: • Decline of the industry has adversely affected the livelihoods of many rural people who depend on proceeds of the crop to sustain their families. • Given the employment opportunities in the sub-sector, coffee can play a significant role in impacting youth unemployment in Africa.

  10. How do we engage the youths in coffee? • It is important to seek innovative ways to attract younger persons into the coffee value chain. • Ways that have been embraced are: • Mentorship • Representation in societies • Funding • Training

  11. How do we engage the youths in coffee? MENTORSHIP: • Done by the parents giving the youth a few trees in which they are entitled to nurture until the coffee is harvested, processed and sold. • Examples: Gikanda F.C.S. & Dedan Kimathi University of Technology in Kenya

  12. How do we engage the youths in coffee? REPRESENTATION IN SOCIETIES: • The committee members to include a youth representative • Motivation to those already engaged

  13. How do we engage the youths in coffee? FUNDING: • Access to finance as the biggest challenge when the youth start farming. • Financial institutions can devise methods of rending to the youths

  14. How do we engage the youths in coffee? TRAINING: • It is key when winning youths to growing of coffee. • Coffee is a ‘technical’ crop that require most of the youths trained on how to handle it professionally.

  15. WHY SHOULD THE YOUTH GROW COFFEE What are estimated outcomes? • 1 Tree when well nurtured yields 20kgs of Cherry • 1,000 coffee tree under an acre (e.g. Batian variety) • This is approximately 20,000kgs per acre • 1,000kgs of cherry yields 160kgs clean coffee hence for 20,000kgs one would yield 3,200kgs of clean coffee. • On a good day in the auction, the green coffee may on average fetch about 6$ per kg. Hence 3,200kgs will be about 19,200$

  16. Other opportunities available for the youths in coffee What other opportunities has coffee created for the youths other than farming? • Coffee Baristas • Cuppers • Training • Research • Apps developers

  17. Coffee baristas • With the current upsurge of coffee shops in major towns, youths have been involved as coffee baristas. • These are professionals in a coffee house who prepares and serve espresso based coffee drinks. • With O-Level qualification you can train for a month and become a barista.

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