ENABLE-TAAT continues to impact the youth agribusiness ecosystem in Tanzania, leading to increased youth employment in the sector. Elisha Otaigo, a 32-year-old MSc Environmental Economics graduate, partnered with his three university classmates to start NovFeed TZ, a company that produces affordable fish feed using black flies.
Otaigo and his partners have created employment for four youth to manage activities through the farming unit. NovFeed also uses a business model that has created income opportunities for 21 other youth and women—they take the farm products on credit, sell at the market, return the agreed cost to the company, and keep the profits. This model solves a capital challenge that is common to many startup entrepreneurs.
“I was inspired to work with Otaigo and his partners because I want to be a good farmer like them. They have taught me how to manage the farm following good agricultural practices. Also, I earn income that supports my livelihood,” said Kulwa Misana, who works as a caretaker at NovFeed.
Although the company’s core activity is fish feed production, it also has two equally important units: Open field and greenhouse farming of vegetable and fruit crops such as tomato and capsicum (red, yellow, and green). These are grown throughout the year using the drip irrigation system taking water from a borehole to a water reservoir. The other is the piggery unit that produces quality cross pig breeds—Duroc, Large white, and Landrace—to pig farmers
NovFeed also uses their farm for practical learning, inspiring youth to engage in agribusiness. So far, the team has trained and assisted four youth entrepreneurs in starting their own farms. The objective is to create a chain of youth who believe in agribusiness as employment.
“We hope that these youth will be ambassadors to others about agribusiness: that they can engage in farming even when they are educated, earn money, and make an impact in the community by being job creators,” Otaigo said in an interview.
The team recognizes the role of ENABLE-TAAT, the youth compact of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), in their achievements. The youth compact supports youth enterprises with mentorship and links them with experts and technologies. For NovFeed, ENABLE-TAAT soft skills training programs on passion, focus, expertise, and teamwork are key elements making the company thrive.
“Training with the youth for a year and a half now has nurtured my passion for farming. I got technical support from the scientists, especially in agribusiness, which also opened my eyes to see the big opportunities in agriculture,” Otaigo said.
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