The County Government of Machakos is stepping up efforts to expand financial opportunities for young people and small businesses through a new initiative aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship, agriculture and sustainable livelihoods. 
By Fredrick Kioko,
The County Government of Machakos is stepping up efforts to expand financial opportunities for young people and small businesses through a new initiative aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship, agriculture and sustainable livelihoods.
The county’s Department of Agriculture and Food Security hosted officials from the East African Market Development Associates (EAMDA), led by Regional Coordinator Judy Musyoki, during a courtesy visit to Chief Officer for Agriculture and Food Security Moses Wambua.
The engagement focused on the Financial Inclusion for Youth and MSMEs Programme (FIYMA), which is being implemented in Machakos to improve access to finance for youth agri-preneurs, micro, small and medium enterprises, youth groups and cooperatives.
The programme is also designed to strengthen the capacity of young entrepreneurs to establish and grow sustainable businesses, particularly within the agricultural sector.
The initiative aligns with Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s administration’s efforts to promote youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Through agriculture and enterprise development, the county government says the programme supports its “Chakula Mezani, Pesa Mfukoni” vision, which seeks to improve food security while increasing household incomes across Machakos.
