Dodoma. At the heart of the bustling Nane Nane Agricultural International Expo 2025, 15 young Tanzanian agripreneurs are not just showcasing their products — they are proving that agriculture is a full-time, job-creating enterprise.
Through the YEFFA program (Youth for Future Food in Agriculture), these youth have built businesses that collectively sustain over 600 jobs across Tanzania.
This isn’t a seasonal story. These are ongoing businesses, operating year-round, whose impact extends far beyond the exhibition grounds in Dodoma.
Among them is Omega Elikana, a university graduate who chose agribusiness over an office job. Specializing in value addition, Omega processes a wide range of food spices and packaged goods under his own brand.
With foundational support from YEFFA — including entrepreneurship training and market linkages — Omega’s business now employs 5 permanent staff and 16 casual workers. “YEFFA gave me tools and direction. I’ve always loved business, but now I understand how to turn passion into employment,” he said.
Standing confidently next to his sunflower products, Emmanuel Manjano shares a similar trajectory. A leader among young farmers in his district, Manjano grows sunflowers, processes oil, produces livestock feed from sunflower cake, and even keeps bees to harness the power of pollination. His brand, Manjano, is both a name and a statement.
“The bees came after the sunflowers — and the honey became a product too. Today, I sell oil, honey, and mashudu,” he explains. Manjano currently provides 6 formal jobs and 19 casual jobs, from cultivation to marketing.
Then there’s Rosemary Kibiriti from Kigoma — a quiet disruptor in the cassava space. Traditionally viewed as a “low-income food” in Tanzania, cassava rarely receives attention in value-added markets. But Rosemary is changing that.
Together with her youth-led group, she produces high-quality cassava flour, packaged in a way that speaks premium. “Our goal is to give cassava a new image,” she says. “We want people to see that it can be nutritious, modern, and even elegant on supermarket shelves.” Her business has created 3 permanent jobs, and she regularly engages 7 casual workers during production and packaging cycles.
In a quick field survey, each of the 15 YEFFA youth entrepreneurs was asked to list the people they employ directly or indirectly. The numbers are compelling:
• 74 formal jobs
• 548 informal jobs (casual labor, harvesting, logistics, packaging, etc.)
These are not figures inflated for the sake of a showcase. They are a reflection of actual operations on the ground — from Iringa to Kigoma, from Mbeya to Arusha — where these youth are leading the agricultural economy forward.
YEFFA’s Purpose: Youth at the center of agricultural growth
Speaking with The Citizens a YEFFA Program Officer representing AGRA (the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) Mr. Japhet Laizer, emphasized that the project is designed to reposition agriculture in the minds of young people — not as subsistence, but as a modern, profitable career path.
“Our goal is to support youth in turning their agricultural ideas into viable, market-ready businesses. We provide training, mentorship, and visibility through platforms like Nane Nane — but their success is happening year-round, in the communities where they live and operate,” the officer said.
Aligning with national vision
At the Nane Nane launch, Vice President Dr. Philip Mpango called on national leaders to accelerate efforts toward Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050. A key target: boosting agricultural growth to 10% annually by 2030, while increasing job creation and sustainability — especially among youth.
The achievements of YEFFA youth show this is possible — not as a distant dream, but as a living reality already taking shape.
Nane Nane 2025 is, in many ways, a celebration of technology, resilience, and national ambition. But it is also a reminder that the future of agriculture lies in its ability to create dignified, scalable employment. And the YEFFA youth? They are no longer just participants — they are the proof.
