Dodoma — THE Agricultural Markets Development Trust (AMDT) is rolling out a transformative project aimed at empowering youth in five regions to unlock diverse agribusiness opportunities in Tanzania's sunflower sub-sector.
Titled 'Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA)', the year-long initiative aims to directly benefit at least 28,000 smallholder farmers and support 152 youth-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Dodoma, Iringa, Morogoro, Manyara and Singida.
In an interview with the Daily News, AMDT's Monitoring, Results and Measurement Officer, Delta Shila said the project focuses on capacity building for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through training in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system.
Other focus areas include post-harvest handling, edible oil processing and compliance with national regulatory standards for quality assurance.
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Funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the project seeks to help youth, especially young women gain dignified and fulfilling employment in the sunflower value chain.
It also supports aspiring agripreneurs in building resilience and sustainability in their enterprises.
"The initiative is also linking youth-led SMEs with key government programmes such as innovation hubs and block farms under the Building a Better Tomorrow programme, which offer support in land access and financing," Shila explained.
He added that the project promotes market access for MSMEs through both local and international business-tobusiness (B2B) networking events, matchmaking services and sector-specific partnerships.
Shila outlined the key objectives of the YEFFA initiative, which include expanding inclusive market access, increasing youth employment and boosting the productivity and sustainability of youth-led agribusinesses.
"Expected outcomes include the diversification and expansion of markets and trade opportunities for youthand women-run MSMEs," he said.
He also highlighted the goal of strengthening the capacity of youth-led SMEs to meet market standards and participate in regional and continental trade.
"We're also working to enhance sustainable agricultural productivity for young farmers, especially women, by facilitating access to improved technologies and practices such as soil health and fertility management," he added.
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The Youth Empowerment and Employment through an Improved Sunflower Commodity (YES) project component aims to ensure that young farmers benefit from technologies that can significantly improve their productivity and competitiveness in the agricultural sector.
