Agrienterprise incubation at Egerton University for improved graduate entrepreneurial skills and employment- opportunities and challenges

Most African countries are struggling with the problem of a growing youth population. Many of the youth are unemployed. This problem is exacerbated by university training programmes that churn out graduates who seek formal employment instead of creating employment. To address this, Egerton University through the AGLEAD project started a student incubation hub with the objectives of stimulating establishment of agrienterprises by students, improve agripreneurship skills among students enhance collaboration between the university and the private sector. So far, the hub has recruited 33 students who have established 14 agrienterprises. The students’ businesses range from milk value addition, agribusiness consultancy, online training short course on entrepreneurship, online marketing platform, and hotel. The student businesses are working with more than 30 farmers and have 24 employees apart from the students themselves. The hub has trained 200 students in business plan development, nancial management, entrepreneurship and marketing as well as conducted Agribusiness clinic with seven farmer groups of 80 farmers. Through the hub, the following opportunities have emerged: the university has embraced entrepreneurship and developed a policy that all business premises within the university will be owned and managed by students. Moreover, students can own and manage enterprises as well as manage their studies. Students who own and manage or work in enterprises manage their time better. Currently, more students are interested in entrepreneurship and becoming self employed and others have embraced the idea of being employed by other students to earn money for their upkeep. Through the clinics, students have gained hands on experience in working together with farmers enhancing the relationship between the university and the communities. However, the hub has faced challenges such as conflict among the student groups operating a business as well as more staff time required to monitor the enterprises and manage the hub.