SET Project : Transforming Youth into Agripreneurs
As part of its strong commitment to youth empowerment and agribusiness development, Flying Dream Company Limited partnered with Swisscontact under the Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET) project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The project aims to create sustainable employment opportunities for young people through practical training, enterprise development, and access to financial and market systems. In Iringa District Council, Flying Dream implemented a comprehensive program targeting over 200 youth aged 15 to 24, equipping them with hands-on skills in commercial, climate-smart, and market-oriented horticultural production. The training focused on six high-potential horticultural crops: African eggplant, cabbage, Irish potatoes, cucumber, beans, and bell peppers. These crops were selected for their market viability and potential to offer year-round income to emerging agripreneurs. As a direct result of the intervention, 170 youth have organized into formalized collective farming businesses, officially recognized by the Iringa District Council. This recognition has made them eligible to access the 10% Youth Development Loan Fund administered by the local government, an important public financing mechanism designed to stimulate youth-led entrepreneurship. In parallel, the youth groups actively engage in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), which has further enhanced their financial literacy, resilience, and ability to invest in their farming operations. The sustainability of these agribusiness ventures is further supported through strong linkages with key value chain actors, both upstream and downstream. Youth groups now have direct access to high-quality agricultural inputs and services through strategic partnerships with reputable suppliers such as HZPC, East-West Seed, Meru Agro, ETG Input Supply, and leading agrovets including Alpha Agrovet, Kilimo House Agrovet, and Fair Agro. In addition, technology and irrigation firms such as Tone Irrigation and RELLA Company Limited have played an instrumental role in introducing affordable and efficient production technologies that help improve yields and reduce climate-related risks. These youth-led businesses have also successfully established structured market linkages with buyers in Iringa, Dodoma, and Dar es Salaam, enabling them to consistently sell their produce and scale up their agribusiness operations. Through these integrated services, skills training, input access, financial inclusion, and market connectivity, the project has created a practical model for youth employment in agriculture. The SET project in Iringa DC stands as a transformational example of how youth, when supported with the right tools and environment, can lead the way in sustainable agriculture and rural enterprise. Flying Dream Company remains committed to scaling such innovations—bridging skills with opportunity to drive inclusive, youth-led agricultural growth across Tanzania.