The Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF) has gained practical lessons in macadamia propagation, nursery management and youth skills development following a three-day learning exchange in Malawi that included a visit to the Horticulture Production and Marketing Consortium (HOPMAC). The visit provided KENAFF’s team with an opportunity to learn from the horticultural enterprise, established in 2023 and owned and led by Noel Kafera, as the federation seeks to strengthen its Nurseries for Youth Development Programme (NYDP). According to an update shared by KENAFF on LinkedIn, the exchange focused on practical approaches that can be adapted to improve nursery operations, enhance seedling production and build sustainable, market-oriented businesses led by young people.
Macadamia propagation takes centre stage
One of the key lessons from the visit was on macadamia propagation, which KENAFF identified as a challenge in its nursery operations. Practical knowledge and techniques shared by HOPMAC provided the visiting team with a better understanding of approaches that could help improve macadamia propagation within its youth-led nurseries. The team also explored different plant propagation methods, including grafting, budding, cuttings and seed propagation. The exchange highlighted the importance of selecting appropriate techniques for different plant species and planning production around market demand. Improving propagation practices can help nurseries strengthen their production planning and respond more effectively to the needs of farmers seeking quality planting materials.
Linking nurseries to markets and business
Beyond the technical aspects of seedling production, the visit highlighted the importance of managing nurseries as viable enterprises rather than treating them solely as places for raising plants. KENAFF said the experience reinforced the need for youth-led nurseries to operate as businesses that respond to market demand, maintain productive operations and work towards financial sustainability. Planning production around customer needs is particularly important for nursery enterprises seeking to avoid mismatches between the seedlings they produce and what farmers are prepared to buy. For the Nurseries for Youth Development Programme, these lessons are relevant to efforts to strengthen youth-led businesses and ensure they can continue operating productively beyond the project period.
HOPMAC highlights youth training and employment
The team was also encouraged by HOPMAC’s role in providing young people with practical experience through attachments and training, with opportunities for employment as they develop their skills. The experience highlighted how horticultural enterprises can contribute to youth development by combining technical learning with workplace exposure and pathways into employment. For KENAFF, this approach offers lessons on how nurseries can become platforms for building practical skills, developing entrepreneurship and creating employment opportunities in horticulture.
Applying lessons from Malawi in Kenya
KENAFF said the team returned to Kenya with practical lessons and ideas that could be applied to its nursery operations under NYDP. The exchange underscored the value of peer learning in helping agricultural organisations identify workable practices, adapt them to local conditions and strengthen the businesses and young people they support. By combining improved propagation techniques, market-oriented production and youth skills development, KENAFF aims to strengthen the capacity of its youth-led nurseries to remain productive and sustainable beyond the project period. The learning exchange was shared by KENAFF alongside acknowledgements of its partners, including Andreas Hermes Akademie, the International Climate Initiative (IKI), Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH, and Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
Source: Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF), LinkedIn update.