From 15-16 December, Dr David Chikoye, IITA’s Southern Africa Research and Administrative Hub (SARAH) Director, visited ENABLE-TAAT trained youths in Kaoma district, Zambia, to monitor the progress of their startups. The 2-day visit allowed for in-depth interaction between the Director and youth-in-agribusiness.
Back in 2018, a group of 30 youths participated in aquaculture and poultry training activities conducted by ENABLE-TAAT in Kaoma. Afterwards, the trained youths split into three clusters, namely; Innovative, Mulamatila and Future Feeders youth groups. Prior to this time, these youths in Kaoma district had very little exposure to aquaculture and poultry as sources of livelihood.
Dr Chikoye inspected their current activities such as Food Basket, Fish Farming, Poultry and Horticulture and was impressed. He noted the efforts of the youth towards showcasing the youth-in-agribusiness initiative and the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) through Food Basket Demo establishment in Kaoma district.
Currently, the youth have renovated and fertilized three fish ponds in readiness for stocking, and are also constructing a one-thousand bird capacity poultry house.
Dr Chikoye commended and encouraged the youth to be committed to their startups and the establishment of agribusiness projects such as fish farming, poultry production and horticulture. He further assured the youth of his usual support, and promised to return to Kaoma around June, 2021 for a ‘braai’ (a local delicacy of roasted fish and sauce) when fish will be harvested.