The IITA Tanzania Youth Agripreneurs (ITYA) was formed in March 2014 to set up and run successful agriculture businesses and become job creators rather than job seekers, to change the mindset and attitudes of young people towards agriculture and empowering them to be more productive. The group is engaged in different agribusinesses, including: packing of high quality cassava flour and selling under the brand ‘Mpishi Mkuu’, (the great cook; www.mpishimkuu.com), production of tomatoes under a greenhouse and drip irrigation, supply of clean cassava planting material, processing of soybean to products such as milk, yogurt, and tofu, providing weed control services to farmers using appropriate and safe herbicides, and the use of modern techniques (hermetic bags) for storage of maize and training farmers on making of high nutrient-dense foods from locally grown crops.

Despite that the youth studied courses not related to agriculture and probably are having their first contact with modern farming, they are enthusiastic and eager to share their knowledge about farming after their first year of learning and piloting. The group started with nearly 48 members but is now down to 16 members (50% women).

Contact: IITA-Tzagri@cgiar.org