![[Uganda] Mastercard Foundation invests $20million in youth agribusiness programme](Mastercard Foundation.jpg)
[Uganda] Mastercard Foundation invests $20million in youth agribusiness programme
The MasterCard Foundation has set aside $20million to assist youth in Northern Uganda overcome poverty and gain meaningful employment through agribusiness.
The programme which seeks to create market linkages to ensure that youth easily find markets for their produce has been birthed by studies that show the youth’s growing interest in agriculture for employment.
The programme is being implemented under the MasterCard Youth Forward initiative and the Driving Youth-led New Agribusiness and Microenterprise (DYNAMIC) and is for starters targeting 1000 youth in eight districts of northern Uganda.
“Both male and female youth in Northern Uganda are enthusiastic about undertaking agriculture as a business, both on and off farms, as they see the income and growth potential, and most are already involved in some way,” said Jane Lowicki-Zucca, the DYNAMIC programme director.
According to Jane, more than $20m has been set aside to help the youth in northern Uganda to fight poverty through strengthening agricultural market systems and engaging both the public and private sectors.
She also said a recent survey revealed that youth are highly interested in engaging in agriculture as their principal means of earning a living, but face many barriers to increase productivity and earnings.
She explained that the programme’s primary objective is to support youth in the North to move from subsistence to productive and profitable farming, through facilitating agri- business links between the private and public sector actors.
Agriculture is recognised by the government as a source of growth, employment and poverty eradication both in the National Development Plan II and the Vision 2040.
According to Emmanuel Otim, the project’s deputy programs director, the biggest limitations to the youth’s agribusinesses include the lack adequate skills, good quality inputs, capital, market connections, information and parental support.
“We are not going to provide handouts or provide direct services, but instead, we shall be working in partnership with the private sector, government, youth, parents and other stakeholders to identify and leverage opportunities for youth engagement along agricultural value chains in sustainable ways that are both good for business and good for youth development, “he said.
