Young people in Kericho County face complex employment and livelihood challenges, with the tea industry representing both opportunities and limitations. For some youth, employment on tea estates or in tea-related industries (trading, processing, transportation) provides entry into the formal economy and wage income. However, tea sector employment faces declining real wages, limited advancement prospects, and seasonal uncertainty.
Many young Kericho residents seek education as a pathway to employment outside agriculture, pursuing secondary and tertiary education in hopes of accessing professional careers in urban areas. This has contributed to rural-urban migration patterns, with youth leaving Kericho for Nairobi and other towns in search of opportunities. Entrepreneurship remains an alternative pathway, with some youth establishing small businesses in commerce, transport, or services. Agricultural extension programmes and youth development initiatives attempt to retain youth in farming by promoting diversified, improved production methods and value addition. Youth unemployment and underemployment remain significant development challenges, with implications for both economic productivity and social stability. Skills training and employment creation are priorities for county government and development organizations.
See Also
Luhya, Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Conservation, Conservation Timeline
Sources
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2020). "Youth Employment Survey: Western Kenya 2019-2020". https://www.knbs.or.ke/
- Kipchoge, E. & Makina, R. (2017). "Youth Livelihoods and Agricultural Change in Kenya's Tea Regions". Youth Studies Review, 11(3), 201-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/ysr
- International Labour Organization. (2021). "Youth Employment Challenges in East Africa's Tea Sector". https://www.ilo.org/