Improving Land Access by the Youth for Agriculture: Whither legal Incentives?

The paper analyses challenges that contribute to poor youth participation in agriculture. Access to land by the youth is identified as one of the challenges that contribute to minimal participation. Land is identified as a scarce resource which access by all the old and the young is a challenge. The author posits that improving access of land by the youth can enhance youth involvement in agriculture therefore which can make a positive contribution to food security and economic development of the country. This can go hand in hand with promotion of off farm activities which can be run by the youth who make up the population of the country. The paper discusses laws and policies on access to land and youth participation in agriculture as part of development activities. The author notes that the legal framework provides for interventions which if implemented can strengthen youth participation in agriculture. Comparatively, Kenya can adopt practices from other countries which have helped improve access of land for the youth. Such practices include creation of zones for planned agriculture development that can be set apart for the youth; inter sales of community land can be encouraged to favor the youth; inver vivos transfer of land can be encouraged from the old to young generations; and land can be leased from the community to be given to the youth for development.