November 17, 2022 at IPRC Kigali Stadium, Rural Youth Employment support (RYES) project awarded certificates to the first cohort of 356 youth who completed the short courses training in Agribusiness, at IPRCs, TVETs and agribusiness industries.
RYAF CEO Jean Marie Vianney Rwiririza in his Remarks assured the 356 youth were awarded certificates, RYAF will continue to work with them and he also asked them to use the knowledge they have gained from the short courses training in Agribusiness.
In her remarks Hon Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Geraldine Mukeshimana thanked agribusiness industries for employing youth in their firms and encouraged all youth that graduated to take seriously the skills acquired because they are the ones who will transform the agricultural sector.
She encouraged youth to not fear even reaching out to her and other ministry officials and also invited them to join Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum to strengthen the food systems of Rwanda.
The 356 youth who graduated through R-YES project also underwent three to four months of competency-based training at IPRC Musanze, IPRC Gishari, IPRC Kigali, Kabutare TVET School, Kavumu TVET School, College Fondation Sina Gerard, and 28 different agribusiness companies.
R-YES is a 5-year project (2020 - 2024) funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented in Rwanda by Kilimo Trust in partnership with Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF) and Rwanda Polytechnic - with Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleges (IPRCs), TVETs and Agribusiness Industries as Centers of Capacity Building.
R-YES project is national in scope, but 16 districts have been selected as primary focus including: North (Gicumbi, Rulindo, and Musanze), West (Nyabihu, Rubavu, and Rusizi), South (Nyanza, Ruhango, Gisagara, Kamonyi and Huye), and East (Nyagatare, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Ngoma and Bugesera). R-YES builds technical skills and creates jobs along ten (10) agribusiness opportunities with potential to attract and provide decent employment to youth in agribusiness.
The ten (10) target employment opportunities include: (1) Vegetables Production and Processing, (2) Milk Handling and processing, (3) Refrigeration & Cold Chain Management, (4) Operation & Maintenance of agro-processing machinery, (5) Meat handling and processing, (6) Operation & Maintenance of Farm Tractors & Machinery, (7) Forage (Hay & Silage) Production & Marketing, (8) Animal Feed Production, (9) Operation & Maintenance of Field Irrigation, (10) Poultry Farming (layers and broilers).