The Africa Climate Collaborative at Makerere University, with support from Mastercard Foundation, has launched an inclusive Youth Skilling Programme aimed at equipping young people with practical, market-driven skills to create business opportunities and strengthen climate resilience.
The programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 50 young people selected from Lwengo District, Rakai District and Yumbe District. The pilot group will form part of a wider plan to train 500 young people over the programme’s eight-year implementation period.
The initiative targets young people who have completed at least Senior Four or its equivalent but have not enrolled for or completed university education.
For the first cohort, participants will receive intensive hands-on training in the poultry value chain, enabling them to establish climate-smart enterprises, create employment opportunities and improve their livelihoods.
The Programme Director of the Africa Climate Collaborative, Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, said the skilling initiative was designed in response to challenges faced by thousands of young people who are not in employment, education or vocational training (NEET).
“We realised that there are several young people who never got an opportunity to attend university or pursue higher education, yet they constitute the majority of our population. We are intentionally creating pathways that enable them to acquire practical skills, participate meaningfully in the economy and secure dignified employment,” Prof. Nabanoga said.
Applications for the first cohort are open to eligible youth residing in Lwengo Sub-County in Lwengo District, Ddwaniro Sub-County in Rakai District, Zone 5 of the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, or Ariwa Sub-County in Yumbe District.
Prof. Nabanoga explained that the locations were deliberately selected because they are among areas most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
She said the programme focuses on Uganda’s agropastoral communities and seeks to nurture young people who will become catalysts for enterprise development within their communities.
“The training will equip participants with practical skills that enable them to innovate around climate-related challenges while protecting the environment. Ultimately, they will generate income, improve their livelihoods and become catalysts for local economic transformation,” she said.
Poultry Value Chain as Entry Point
The Africa Climate Collaborative selected the poultry value chain as the starting point for the pilot because of its potential to create opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation and employment.
According to Prof. Nabanoga, participants will specialise in different areas of the poultry sector, including feed production, hatchery management, poultry production, poultry product value addition and poultry waste management.
“The poultry sector offers numerous opportunities for innovation. By developing expertise across different components of the value chain, these young people will collectively strengthen the entire poultry ecosystem,” she said.
Environmental sustainability will remain central to the programme, with participants introduced to climate-smart production methods, efficient resource utilisation and innovative poultry waste management practices aimed at reducing environmental impact while improving productivity.
Participants are expected to become community resource persons who will share acquired knowledge and skills with other young people.
“These young people will become trainers of trainers. When they return to their communities, they will establish enterprises and mentor others, creating a critical mass of youth engaged in climate-smart businesses,” Prof. Nabanoga added.
Leaders Welcome Youth Empowerment Initiative
District leaders have welcomed the programme, describing it as a timely intervention in addressing youth unemployment.
Francis Bwowe, the Senior Agricultural Officer for Rakai District, said the initiative comes at a time when many young people face limited opportunities after completing secondary education.
“Many young people who complete Senior Four have nowhere to go. Therefore, a programme that equips them with practical skills to start their own businesses is extremely important. We believe it will help them become self-reliant and earn a living,” Bwowe said.
Community leaders also expressed optimism about the programme’s potential to transform livelihoods.
George Kizito, LCII Chairperson of Kalere Parish in Rakai District, said unemployment remains one of the biggest challenges affecting young people.
“The opportunities exist, but many young people lack the capacity and confidence to create jobs for themselves. In our community, people involved in poultry farming are earning good money, but many youths simply watch because they do not know where to start,” he said.
The programme has also received support from technical experts, with animal feeds specialist Nehwera Eufemia highlighting the importance of prioritising feed production.
“Feed accounts for nearly 70 percent of poultry production costs and is the single most important factor influencing profitability. Strengthening skills in feed production provides a strong foundation for improving productivity and sustainability across the entire poultry value chain,” Eufemia said.
She encouraged eligible young Ugandans to apply and take advantage of the opportunity to acquire practical skills for sustainable enterprise development.
