Rural Youth Employment Accelerator

The challenge

Around 25 million young people enter Africa's labour market each year, and rural areas offer few jobs. Youth programmes often train people without a business to go to. GIZ wanted business models that young women and men could actually run and earn from in agri-food value chains.

What we did

• Developed with GIZ a five-step method to find, test and promote business models for young people.
• Led value chain analysis and business modelling, with unit costs and job estimates for each model.
• Designed and supported incubation and coaching linked to real market demand.
• Added skills gap analysis and gender analysis so models suit young people and women in rural areas.

Results

• More than 10 business models developed in production, processing and services.
• Models include compost processing and orchard maintenance in Burkina Faso, passion fruit in Kenya, honey and solar irrigation in Malawi, and broilers in Mozambique.
• GIZ published the method in 2025 as a how-to paper in English and French.