TADB, Solidaridad launch youth farm settlement to tackle unemployment

TANZANIA – The Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) and Solidaridad East Africa have launched an initiative known as the Youth Farm Settlement (YFS), under the Dairy 2025 Catalyst for Investment program, to address the challenge of youth unemployment.

The project, being implemented in the Tanga Region, targets young people under the age of 35, equipping them with the skills and resources to venture into commercial dairy farming.

The focus is not merely on subsistence farming but on building sustainable agribusinesses that generate income and create jobs for others. In the first phase, five youths have each been allocated a 10-acre farm.

Each farm has been developed with essential infrastructure, including a modern house for the beneficiary, a state-of-the-art cowshed capable of holding 10 dairy cows and their calves, a poultry unit for 200 chickens, one acre of pasture land, reliable water facilities (including a well for livestock and irrigation), and five in-calf heifers of improved breeds.

Speaking about the project’s impact, Imani Nkatula, Senior Business Development Officer for TADB in the Northern Zone, said the initiative is expected to create employment opportunities for other young people in rural areas while boosting milk supplies in local markets.

He noted that the program is designed to inspire youth to view agriculture and livestock farming as viable business ventures and a pathway to economic prosperity.

Through this partnership, TADB and Solidaridad are laying the foundation for a new generation of farmers and livestock keepers, reshaping the perception of agriculture among youth—from being seen as “a last resort” to being recognized as a profitable business and a driver of economic growth.

Solidaridad to lead Kenya’s methane reduction strategy in livestock sector

The news comes as Kenya is set to introduce its first methane reduction strategy for the livestock sector, following the securing of funding from the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) by Solidaridad East and Central Africa.

The three-year initiative, running from 2025 to 2027, will target dairy farmers and cooperatives nationwide.

The project, officially titled The Development of a National Methane Reduction Implementation Strategy for Kenya’s Livestock Sector (KE-24-002), will support Kenya’s climate commitments while strengthening dairy productivity.

The program will engage 3,000 dairy farmers directly, while also working with cooperatives and government institutions to ensure long-term adoption. The outcome will be a national roadmap for reducing methane emissions in livestock, aligned with Kenya’s broader green agenda.

Solidaridad stressed that the project will rely on close collaboration with farmers, government agencies, and private players.

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