The Samburu Dream: How Youth Can Reclaim Their Future Through Smart Farming
By Albert O. Melody
“We are the generation we’ve been waiting for.”
This phrase echoes through my heart every time I walk past idle land, bored youth sitting in centers, or elderly mothers struggling to feed families while water trickles away from untapped rivers. But I believe there’s a solution. It’s not hidden in far-away cities. It’s right beneath our feet — the soil.
Why We Must Wake Up Now
Samburu County is rich in land, livestock, tradition, and community — yet our youth are unemployed, our families depend on food aid, and our towns rely on imported food. Something is deeply wrong with that picture.
We’ve been programmed to believe that farming is for the poor. That gumboots are a sign of failure. But what if I told you farming could make you a millionaire? Not in theory — in reality.
The Secret That the World Is Using (That We're Ignoring)
Across Kenya, young people are making money through agribusiness:
- In Nyandarua, a 22-year-old earns KSh 400,000 per season from potatoes.
- In Kitale, a youth group runs a greenhouse project earning over KSh 100,000 a month.
- In Meru, women are farming macadamia for export.
So why not us in Samburu?
Because we’ve never been shown how to make farming work like a business.
My Story: From Digital Dreams to Dirty Boots
I’ve always been passionate about media, writing, and technology. But I’ve also watched my people suffer, depend on livestock alone, and get wiped out by droughts or cattle rustlers.
That’s when I decided: I won’t wait for change.
I’ll become the change.
Now I’m farming potatoes on Porro Highlands, learning, making mistakes, and building something that could feed my family and transform my community.
If I can do it, so can you.
What’s Stopping Samburu Youth from Winning?
- No Capital: Most youth don’t have access to farming loans or support.
- No Water: Rain-fed farming is risky, and boreholes are expensive.
- No Mentors: We don’t have many successful farmers showing us the way.
- Cultural Pressure: There’s still shame in choosing farming over office jobs or herding.
But what if we created a new culture? A culture where agribusiness is cool, profitable, and respected.
This Is What We Need to Do — Starting Now
- Form Youth Agri-Groups: Come together, lease land as a group, pool money, and farm together.
- Push for Government Action: MCAs and MPs must prioritize agriculture in their budgets: dams, boreholes, seeds, and roads.
- Use Technology: Use YouTube, TikTok, and blogs to learn how to farm better — and even market your produce.
- Brand Your Journey: Document your story. People love real journeys. You can become the next agri-influencer.
- Start Small but Start Now: Even ¼ acre of onions or cabbages can change your life.
Message to Leaders and Donors
If you are reading this, we don’t want handouts. We want tools. Give us solar water pumps, quality seeds, farm training, and access to markets — and we will handle the rest.
Imagine a Samburu where:
- Every youth group runs a profitable farm project.
- Markets are full of local produce.
- No family sleeps hungry.
- Young men and women find dignity in soil, not sorrow.
That’s the Samburu Dream.
Let’s Go Viral – Let’s Make Noise
If this message touches your heart, don’t just scroll. SHARE IT. Post it on Facebook. Tag a leader. Start a conversation in your group. Better yet — start your own farm.
Let this blog be the fire that lights a thousand others.
Because the future is not written in books. It is written in the soil.
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