YOUTH AND WOMEN INITIATIVE FOR AGRIBUSINESS
(BBT-YIA)

Unlocking youth and women main challenges to participate in agribusiness and enhance: Access to land; Access to technology; Access to finance; and Access to Market.

12,000

BBT-YIA’s 8- year goal is to have at least one profitable and sustainable youth-led agribusiness in each of the 12,000 villages. Therefore, BBT-YIA’s 8-year (2022-2030) direct and indirect employees are projected to 1.5 million.

WHY YOUTH AND YOUTH AGRIBUSINESS

In Tanzania, agriculture is the main contributor of employment for the nation as it accounts for 66.6% of employment and it contributes 26.1% to the national GDP. This contribution is relatively low in comparison to other sectors leading to high importation of processed foods.

The low contribution of the sector to national GDP is partly contributed with low engagement of youth in the agricultural sector who account about 56% of the active labour force in the country. Building a Better
Tomorrow: a Youth and Women Initiative for Agribusiness (BBT – YIA), aim to promote Tanzanian youth and Women engagement in agribusiness for sustainable food systems and improved livelihoods. BBT-YIA is a tool for contributing the attainment of the Agenda 10/30 that envisage to increasing the youth employment by 1.5 million and obtaining the growth rate of the agricultural sector by ten (10) percent by 2030.

12,000

Factors Limiting Youth Engagement in Agribusiness

Youth representatives who attended the National Conference on Youth Involvement in Agriculture which was held in 2020 reported challenges limiting their involvement in agriculture. The challenges include:

Limited access to land making the majority of youth to continue using family or leased land thus unable to make reliable investment.
Limited access to finance as youth lack collateral and have limited capacity to write fundable proposals despite having viable ideas.
Limited access to technology and hands-on skills in its application.
Limited access to markets and business auxiliary services including; appropriate logistics facilities, packaging materials and market information.

BBT Block Farming Establishment

Three models for Block Farm establishment and management are proposed under BBT – YIA program. Depending on location, commodities proposed and implementing partners in specific BF respective model will be adopted. These models include:

BBT Block Farm Model of Operation

The Service Delivery Model (SDM) is a supply chain structure within the block farming model that provides various technical services including training and agricultural inputs. It’s role is to improve farmers’ capacity, and therefore the effective growing and harvesting of sufficient crops to meet processors’ needs. Agribusiness in BBT block farms will have the three main players namely:

BBT Block Farm Management

For each Block Farm there will be Block Farm Management Committee (BFMC) or Board that will oversee day-to-day activities.

Program Strategic Initiatives

BBT-YIA will establish and develop block farms for youth at regional and district levels

Development of Youth Agribusiness Parks (YAP) to enable access of agricultural land for youth.

Establishment and development of block farms for youth (5 acres/
youth) in each region and later at each district.

Over 77,000 ha of irrigated land set aside for youth through
different schemes /initiatives.

Hands-on trainings focusing on providing youth in agribusiness
with close mentorship and coaching from experienced international
and local experts in agribusiness.

Establishment of BBT-YIA Youth Start-up and Growth Catalyst Fund,
to mobilize at least TZS. 72 billion and over 15,000 start-up capital
applications to be processed and funded.

National level coordination of Youth initiatives through the Ministry
of Agriculture and formulation of A National Association of Youth
in Agribusiness.

Financing Plan

The Program will be financed through different fund sources including the Government of Tanzania, Development Partners, Non-Government Organizations and private sectors. The estimated to cost for implementing various activities for the entire program life span is Tanzania Shillings 356.199 billion (equivalent to USD 148,416,167). 24% of the budget will come from the Government and 76% from development partners, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.

Latest News

The National Youth Agricultural Conferences provided the foundation of the BBT-YIAdesign.

In 2020 the Ministry of Agriculture organized a National Conference on Youth Involvement in Agriculture (NCYIA). The conference took place in seven (7) geographical areas

PASS Agribusiness Innovation Center (AIC)

AIC is an agribusiness service center, under PASS Trust, mandated to provide business development services to agribusiness enterprises that are growth oriented or with potential to grow, giving special attention to youths and women entrepreneurs in Tanzania.