ABF and CAP-Youth Empowerment Institute partner to expand access to agribusiness training

©Evaline Wambui, GIZ: From Left - Dennis Muchiri (CAP-YEI), Ndung'u Kahihu - (CAP-YEI), Linh Feldköetter - (ABF-GIZ), Petra Jacobi (GIZ-Kenya)

On 6 August 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, the Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF) and the CAP-Youth Empowerment Institute (CAP-YEI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate ABF’s Agribusiness e-Academy courses into CAP-YEI’s BEST (Basic Employability Skills Training) platform.

By combining CAP-YEI’s youth-focused training model with ABF’s digital agribusiness learning resources, the partnership will help learners build knowledge relevant to agricultural production, processing, enterprise development and wider value-chain opportunities.

CAP-YEI has made strong in roads in Kenya towards contributing to closing the skills gap in agricultural sector, through the demand-led skills training model. Through the BEST model, the organisation provides entry-level skills designed to help young people access employment and livelihood opportunities.

The collaboration will also contribute to broader development priorities, including addressing youth unemployment, strengthening food security and supporting climate-resilient agriculture. Improving access to practical, market-relevant training is essential to enabling young people to participate more effectively in Africa’s changing agrifood systems.

Linh Feldköetter, Head of Project for ABF noted “This partnership provides a foundation for continued cooperation between ABF and CAP-YEI and supports the shared objective of strengthening practical skills, employment opportunities and sustainable agribusiness development across Africa.”

For CAP-YEI, the partnership provides an opportunity to build on an established training model while expanding the range of agribusiness learning available to young people.

Ndũng’ũ Kahĩhu, Strategic Lead at CAP-YEI stated “CAP -Youth Empowerment Institute, CAPYEI, is excited to partner with GIZ-ABF through its digital Agribusiness eAcademy platform. CAPYEI has spent the last ten years adapting its tested Basic Employability Skills Training (BEST) model to agriculture. By leveraging the high-quality content and other tools of the e-Academy, we shall be able to extend our programme solutions to reach and support even more youth across Kenya and Africa.”

CAP-YEI is also a part of a consortium awarded support through ABF’s Matching Grant Fund, which supports investment and growth among agribusinesses and other value-chain actors. This connection creates an opportunity to link learning with enterprise development and investment. Young people and agribusinesses can benefit not only from improved knowledge and skills, but also from stronger opportunities to apply those skills in businesses and agricultural value chains.

The agreement will support the wider availability of practical agribusiness learning for young people in Kenya and across Africa. It reflects ABF’s commitment to making its training resources accessible beyond the project and ensuring that while money moves, knowledge stays and skills continue to be developed in the agricultural sector.