Young people are trooping to the villages to try their hand in agriculture

A growing number of young Kenyans are abandoning city life and returning home to village to embrace agribusiness after toiling and moiling in vain in the cities.

Some of the young people who spoke to Wananchi Reporting said the shift is driven partly by gruelling economic realities.

Rising costs of rent, food and transportation, coupled with scarce formal employment opportunities, have made life in urban centres increasingly difficult.

“I tried hustling in Nairobi, but whatever I earned was barely enough to pay rent. When I came back home and started poultry farming, I realised I could make a living and even employ others,” says Kevin Were, a youth farmer in Bungoma County.

“Back in the villages, land offers opportunities the city cannot,” he adds.

Recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that youth remain the hardest hit by unemployment, with more than 4 million young people aged between 18 and 34 currently out of work.

Youth account for nearly two-thirds of the country’s jobless population, and the number of young Kenyans neither in school nor in training has risen sharply from 1.8 million in 2019 to over 3.1 million today.

From dairy farms and poultry operations to vegetable greenhouses and fishponds, young people are transforming idle plots in the villages into productive ventures.

With mobile phones and internet access, they learn modern techniques, connect with buyers and market their produce without leaving the farm.

Social media has played a key role in amplifying many success stories.

“We are seeing young farmers using Facebook and TikTok to sell fresh produce directly to consumers in towns. Technology has changed how agribusiness is done,” says Mary Nyawira, an agribusiness trainer in Nyandarua.

Creativity is also fuelling growth. Some youth are combining farming with value addition, producing yogurt from milk, drying fruits for snacks, or packaging indigenous vegetables for supermarkets.

Others are venturing into online delivery, cutting out middlemen to reach urban consumers directly.

Still, challenges remain. Access to capital, unpredictable weather, and volatile markets can frustrate even the most determined.

“Most young farmers lack startup capital. Without affordable loans or grants, many give up along the way,” says James Mutua, an agricultural economist.

Despite these setbacks, county governments and development partners are encouraging the shift. In Kiambu, for instance, youth groups are receiving training and support to improve farming methods.

“We want our young people to see agribusiness not as a last resort but as a serious career. The county is investing in extension services and linking farmers to markets,” says David Kamau, a dairy farmer.

For many youth, the return to farming is more than just survival. it is about building a future.

“Farming has given me dignity. I don’t have to beg for a job in the city. I am creating one for myself here at home,” adds Geofrey Oyugi, a fish farmer in Siaya.

As more greenhouses are built, fishponds dug, and new agribusiness brands launched, the message is clear; the future of Kenya’s economy may lie not only in the city, but also in the soil.