Planting Roots of Resilience: Grace's Journey as a Young Agripreneur in Kenya
Facing climate change and market instability, a young woman in Kenya finds purpose and a new career as an agripreneur
Growing up on her family’s farm in the heart of Kenya’s Kirinyaga County, 27-year-old Grace Nyawira witnessed the increasingly unpredictable nature of farming. Varying rainfall patterns, soil degradation, rising input prices and limited access to markets have made agriculture a risky endeavor, where generations of families have relied on the land for sustenance and income. Like many of her peers, Grace decided to step away from agriculture, concerned about the challenges that may lie ahead.
This changed when she discovered the Engaging Kenyan Youth in Agriculture and Nutrition (EKYAN) programme. It offered Grace an opportunity to learn adaptive farming techniques designed to combat the challenges she faced and find a community of young people eager to embrace agriculture.
EKYAN equips young Kenyans, especially women, with market-driven skills, on-the-job training, and digital tools for agribusiness. Built on principles of regenerative agriculture, which boosts soil health and reduces environmental impact, EKYAN's aim is to strengthen economic livelihoods, food systems and nutrition in rural communities. This pilot programme from UNICEF's Public-Private-Youth Partnership Platform Generation Unlimited is supported by the Government of the Netherlands and FMC Corporation, and implemented in Kenya with Kuza and SNV.
EKYAN has reignited Grace’s passion for farming and is giving her the skills to succeed. “Before EKYAN, I had stopped practising agriculture,” Grace said. “But after joining EKYAN, when we started to set up demo farms in comprehensive schools, my passion for agriculture grew again. I decided to start farming once again.”
Through the programme, she learned sustainable farming techniques like using raised beds, double-dug pits, and Zai pits—innovative methods that improve soil health, conserve water, and increase crop yields. She also learned how to write a business plan, maintain a budget and keep records to track profitability.
Sharing a Renewed Passion
With her new skills, Grace started her own quarter-acre farm, growing cabbage, kale, and spring onions. “I now use raised beds for my cabbages,” she said. “Earlier, I would have grown them in normal holes.”
Through EKYAN, Grace has also become a community leader, training over 130 farmers, mostly women, on modern, climate-smart techniques. She also mentors more than 50 students from local schools, using demonstration plots to teach them about innovative farming methods and nutrition, and challenging stigmas about agriculture as a career.
“My favorite part of EKYAN is learning. And now I get to teach both students and farmers,” Grace said. “Sharing my knowledge will help farmers learn about modern practices and enhance their produce.”
Bringing Home Lessons on Nutrition
Grace’s passion for farming also ties into a broader goal: helping the community and her family understand best business practices and the connection between agriculture, nutrition, and health.
Through her outreach, she teaches how the food grown and consumed can improve health. For example, she encourages growing indigenous crops such as African leafy vegetables, which are packed with vitamins and minerals that can help combat malnutrition.
As a mother to a three-year-old, Grace also applies these lessons at home, shifting her family’s diet from processed foods to nutrient-rich vegetables.
Message to Youth: ‘Embrace Agriculture as a Career’
Looking ahead, Grace hopes to expand her farm to one acre and grow more crops like tomatoes and capsicum. She plans to continue reaching more farmers, especially women and young people, to help them learn and benefit from regenerative farming techniques.
The challenges faced by Grace and her community are not unique. Agricultural systems worldwide, particularly in the Global South, are under threat from climate change, outdated farming practices, resource depletion and inadequate infrastructure. The risk to food security is compounded by a shortage of youth entering the agricultural sector, despite its potential for sustainable employment and entrepreneurship.
Grace’s journey is a powerful example of how young people can transform their lives — and their communities — through agriculture. By embracing agriculture as a sustainable livelihood and sharing her knowledge, Grace and other EKYAN agripreneurs are building a more resilient agrifood system in Kenya and paving the way for the next generation of farmers and entrepreneurs.
For Grace, agriculture is now a way of life. “I urge youth to embrace agriculture as a career,” she said. “There's a misconception that farming is for the older generation or the unemployed. I can say that agriculture pays; it is a career, a cause, and the newest gold.”
Work part of the EKYAN programme contributes to the Green Rising initiative by UNICEF, Generation Unlimited and partners, equipping young people with skills and opportunities to take climate action and shape a sustainable future.
*UNICEF does not endorse any brand, company, product or service.
