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innovation, that his ministry will link them with the industry Ellen Chilemba
alongside other young innovators to ensure mass production Kenya’s Lydia Kimani Promotes
of the units. Malawi
“This is a practical technology that solves one or so of the 18-year-old Mount Holyoke College (MHC) student Ellen
challenges this country faces,” said Matiang’i, and amusingly Chilemba, was honoured as one of Forbes’ "Africa’s 30 under Youth Involvement In Agriculture
added, “I hope you have patented it to avoid intellectual prop- 30" list highlighting Africa’s most promising social entrepre-
erty infringement.” neurs.
The science week attracted over 100 exhibitors. Participants Chilemba was recognized as the founder of Tiwale, a commu- By Justus Wanzala, Nairobi, Kenya.
included policy makers, scholars, academicians, scientists, nity-based organisation that gives microloans to women in
students, entrepreneurs and innovators from national and Malawi, where girls are often forced to leave school and marry
regional institutions such as universities, research institutions, at age 12 or 13. around 50 enterprises with varied agri-
technical, vocational and entrepreneurial training institutions, Chilemba was motivated to start Tiwale by the plight of one Lydia Kimani is the business portfolios mostly that deal with
international organisations and development partners. Malawian woman who was married with three children, Executive Director at value addition and product processing.
unemployed, and living in extreme poverty at the age of 17. Their products include honey, banana
Chilemba suggested she start a small business, but she replied Agribusiness for products, cooked food, cereals, indige-
that banks wouldn't give her a loan, and local village money- African Markets, a nous vegetables and soya.
Women of Innovation lenders charged exorbitant interest. Kenyan non-profit Lydia says that the youth engaging in
Out of that exchange, Chilemba envisioned Tiwale, which
agripreneurs in Africa should think
By Emily Weir and Keely Savoie gives women the means to lift themselves from poverty. Ti- globally and have a good grasp of mar-
wale, which means ‘let’s glow’ in Chichewa, aims "to empower organisation that kets and role of organizations such as the
Kiara Nirghin women and be the light to guide women towards realising endeavors to World Trade Organisation (WTO).
their purpose and goals" explained Chilemba. o far, the group
South Africa has helped 40 women start small businesses and taught entre- ensure inclusive “Every agriculture related enterprise
should be able to compete globally, oth-
preneurship skills to 150 people. Tiwale's newest project shows participation of the erwise it won’t thrive”.
women how to design and dye-print material that is sold to Furthermore, she says products of
Malawi's fabric-export traders and shipped worldwide from youth in Agriculture, research and development should be
Chilemba's MHC dorm room. reduce poverty and protected using strong intellectual
According to Forbes “Chilemba is easing the difficult circum- property regimes. “We should safeguard
stances that women in Malawi face with Tiwale. address food and innovative young farmers to ensure they
Although she has two more years at Mount Holyoke, Chilem- earn royalties from their innovations.”
ba is thinking ahead to a future in which Tiwale has grown nutrition security. This year Lydia was appointed by the
independent of her. Again, she's thinking big, with ideas to Lydia Kimani, in Nairobi. Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA),
improve the Malawian education system, and attract tourist to represent it in the development of
dollars to her country. the National Working Group Medium
"Growing up in Malawi, I was struck by the beauty of my own Agribusiness for African Markets (AFM) Lydia embodies qualities of youth lead- Term Investment strategy. AFM has also
country, but we don't have all the facilities required for people is involved in entrepreneurship skills ership and has an in-depth knowledge received an expression of interest from
to access it, I want to invest myself in the tourism industry and building among the youth. It offers busi- and passion about issues on agripreneur- the national government’s ministry of
work with education leaders. I am excited by social entrepre- ness monitoring and coaching to ensure ship in Kenya and Sub Saharan Africa. devolution to train young farmers about
17-year-old Kiara Nirghin, from South Africa, has invented neurship and have many more ideas to pursue” she says. that Kenyan youth agripreneurs establish She studied Agriculture Economics and sustainable development goals and
a polymer with the capability to retain huge reserves of water and run scalable, globally competitive Resource Management at Kenya’s Moi explore ways of involving them in their
and help sustain crops in drought affected areas. This polymer, agribusiness ventures. University. She explains that she sprung
which has the added benefits of being biodegradable and made Brenda Katwesigye Its mission is to promote the participa- into action after realizing that not many delivery.
from waste products from the juice industry, absorbs water Uganda tion of the youth in agriculture ventures youth focus on agriculture, yet it’s the She adds that the private sector through
its national body, KEPSA, has played a
and retains soil moisture. In the future this could mean crops to generate employment and alleviate backbone of Kenya’s economy. This,
are much better equipped to survive in droughts. Brenda Katwesigye is a Ugandan tech entrepreneur and poverty while addressing food and nutri- coupled with the fact that the country
Kiara has won the Google Science Fair's Community Impact co-founder of Instahealth — a mobile health app that provides tion insecurity. It also promotes knowl- faces food insecurity with unprecedent-
Award for the Middle East and Africa with this groundbreak- people with instant access to healthcare professionals and edge exchange using youth friendly plat- ed levels of youth unemployment jolted “I conceived the
ing invention. medical centres. The app, which is available on smartphones forms that are ICT based. This enables her into action. idea that I could be
"Kiara found an ideal material that won't hurt the budget in and feature phones, allows users to locate the nearest health it to identify and address the challenges “I conceived the idea that I could be a
simple orange peel, and through her research, she created a facilities and consult with doctors. In 2013, the app won the that undermine active participation of leader of change. Growing levels of un- a leader of change."
way to turn it into soil-ready water storage with help from the ITU Young Innovators Award in Thailand. Recently, Brenda youth in Agribusiness enterprises. employment require solid interventions.
avocado," said Andrea Cohan, program leader of the Google was nominated for the She Leads Africa’s Pitch competition, Lydia 30, says, AFM builds capacity for I felt that due to massive unemployment, key role in linking AFM with develop-
Science Fair. where she’s competing with other female entrepreneurs for a upcoming agripreneurs. countries in Africa are grappling with ment partners. All in all, she reiterates,
She described her invention as creating “mini reservoirs of wa- $10 000 prize. An amazing invention that will increase food “The focus is on the youth to take up what could yield a replica of the Arab her dream is to make a contribution in
ter in the soil and plants that will be able to have a water sup- security everywhere. agribusiness as a means of livelihood. spring in a few decades ahead." bringing more youth into agriculture
ply even through drought”. Kiara hopes her project improves For more information please visit Lionesse of Africa at http:// Emphasis is on food processing more Problems facing African young farmers as a source of income and to curb the
food security and the standard of living of many people. www.lionessesofafrica.com so agri industry aspects such as value are the same hence solutions are homo- sharply rising unemployment on the
addition”. geneous. Currently, AFM works with continent is being fulfilled.

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