Vijabiz Project

The Vijabiz Project was implemented from 2018 to 2021 with the goal of improving the economic empowerment of rural youth in Kenya through agribusiness development. The project focused on increasing youth participation in key agricultural value chains by building their skills, strengthening their enterprises, and improving access to markets and finance.

Strategic Partnership

CoELIB played a key role in the implementation of Vijabiz, offering business incubation, training, mentorship, and technical support to youth groups. The project was implemented in partnership with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Geographic Coverage

What We Did

CoELIB delivered comprehensive support to youth-led agribusiness groups through four interconnected intervention areas:

Key Agricultural Value Chains

Vijabiz increased youth participation across five critical agricultural sectors:

Programme Impact

The Vijabiz Project achieved significant outcomes across four key impact areas:

CoELIB's Incubation Framework

The Vijabiz Project leveraged CoELIB's proven business incubation framework, which provides:

• Pre-Incubation Support: Idea validation, feasibility assessment, and business model development
• Incubation Services: Workspace, equipment access, technical training, and mentorship
• Post-Incubation Follow-up: Ongoing coaching, market linkages, and scale-up support
• Network Access: Connections to investors, suppliers, buyers, and technical experts
• Peer Learning: Youth-to-youth knowledge exchange and collaboration

Training Focus Areas

The comprehensive training programme addressed critical capacity gaps:

• Agribusiness Management: Planning, operations, financial management, and record keeping
• Market Development: Market research, customer relations, pricing, and sales strategies
• ICT for Agriculture: Digital tools for farm management, marketing, and information access
• Financial Literacy: Budgeting, saving, credit management, and investment planning
• Value Addition: Processing, packaging, branding, and quality standards
• Group Dynamics: Leadership, governance, conflict resolution, and teamwork

Market and Finance Linkages

A critical component of Vijabiz was facilitating connections that enabled youth enterprises to thrive:

• Market Linkages: Direct connections to buyers, processors, exporters, and retail outlets
• Finance Access: Introductions to banks, microfinance institutions, SACCOs, and grant programmes
• Input Suppliers: Relationships with quality input providers offering favorable terms
• Technical Services: Access to extension workers, veterinary services, and agricultural experts
• Peer Networks: Connections with other youth entrepreneurs for learning and collaboration

Gender and Inclusion

Vijabiz prioritized inclusive participation, ensuring:

• Gender balance in training and mentorship programmes
• Special attention to barriers facing young women in agribusiness
• Support for mixed-gender youth groups
• Gender-responsive business models and practices
• Addressing social and cultural barriers to youth participation
• Creating safe and supportive spaces for all youth

Lessons Learned

The Vijabiz experience generated valuable insights for future youth agribusiness programmes:

• Group Approach Works: Working with organized youth groups creates peer support and shared learning
• Comprehensive Support Needed: Youth need both skills training and practical business support
• Market Linkages Critical: Technical skills alone aren't enough without market access
• Mentorship Matters: One-on-one coaching significantly improves business outcomes
• ICT Integration Essential: Digital tools enhance efficiency and market access
• Gender Sensitivity Required: Intentional focus on inclusion yields better participation
• Local Context Matters: Interventions must be adapted to county-specific conditions

Sustainability Beyond the Project

Vijabiz established foundations for long-term impact:

• Strengthened youth groups continuing to operate independently
• Established market relationships providing ongoing opportunities
• Trained youth leaders serving as mentors to others
• Demonstrated models that can be replicated in new areas
• Changed perceptions of agriculture among rural youth
• Created networks that continue facilitating collaboration
• Built institutional capacity at CoELIB for youth programming

Through Vijabiz, CoELIB demonstrated that with the right support, rural youth can become successful agribusiness entrepreneurs, creating employment for themselves and others while contributing to food security and rural economic development.