Nakalema commends YPA’s rise from small youth initiative to continental agribusiness giant

What began in 2008 as a small youth initiative driven by only 21 determined young people has today evolved into one of Africa’s fast-growing agribusiness and youth empowerment enterprises.

At the colourful 18th Annual General Meeting of Youth Platform Africa Goats held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, leaders, government officials, foreign dignitaries and thousands of members gathered to celebrate a journey defined by resilience, innovation and continental ambition.

The event painted the picture of an enterprise that has transformed from a modest goat-rearing initiative into a diversified agribusiness movement with operations spanning 16 African countries.

Today, YPA manages more than 157,422 goats, owns over 7,000 acres of maize farmland and 15,000 beehives in Uganda, while also controlling more than 17,000 acres of land in Tanzania.

For many young entrepreneurs attending the gathering, the success story of YPA reflected the growing possibilities of youth-led enterprises in Africa.

At the centre of the transformation is Obed Ben, the youthful Managing Director credited with steering the organization from a small community platform into a continental agribusiness network with markets stretching beyond the Great Lakes region into the Middle East and Southern Africa.

YPA now maintains operations and partnerships in countries including the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Zambia, while building business coordination with partners in India, Türkiye, Pakistan and Egypt.

The organization is also increasingly positioning itself within Africa’s industrialization agenda.

Officials revealed that YPA has invested heavily in agricultural mechanization through the importation and operation of combine harvesters, ploughs, harrows and row crop cultivators. Construction of a processing plant is also underway as the company seeks to expand value addition and agro-processing capacity.

The anniversary celebrations attracted high-profile guests from across the continent, highlighting YPA’s growing regional influence.

Among the distinguished visitors was His Royal Highness Chief Chamuka VI from Zambia, who attended alongside a delegation from his kingdom and representatives of the Zambian government led by Kaumbu Mwondela.

Their attendance was widely viewed as a reflection of strengthening Pan-African cooperation and cross-border economic collaboration among African youth enterprises.

Speaking during the celebrations, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Dr. Aggrey Kibenge, delivered a message from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commending YPA for advancing sustainable agribusiness initiatives aligned with Uganda’s national development priorities.

The President’s message praised the organization for contributing to socio-economic transformation through agriculture, youth mobilization and job creation.

For Uganda’s investment and enterprise promotion agencies, YPA’s rise is increasingly being viewed as evidence that youth-led enterprises can become major drivers of economic growth if supported with access to markets, financing and technology.

Col..Edith Nakalema, the Head of State House Investors Protection Unit, and Senior Presidential Advisor, who attended the AGM as Patron of YPA, described the organization as a model of disciplined and innovative entrepreneurship capable of competing on regional and global markets.

“Uganda’s future lies in disciplined, innovative and patriotic youth-led enterprises capable of competing on regional and global markets,” she said.

During the celebrations, Nakalema was honoured with a special award presented by Managing Director Obed Ben in recognition of her support toward youth empowerment and service to government.

She used the occasion to urge YPA members to embrace transparency, unity and innovation as the organization expands across Africa.

Observers at the event noted that YPA’s evolution mirrors a broader shift taking place across the continent, where young Africans are increasingly turning agriculture into a modern commercial enterprise driven by technology, mechanization and regional trade.

What stood out most at Kololo was not merely the scale of the enterprise, but the symbolism behind it — a generation of young Africans attempting to redefine agriculture from subsistence survival into a vehicle for industrial growth, wealth creation and continental integration.

As drums, cultural performances and business exhibitions filled the ceremonial grounds, the message from the gathering remained clear: Africa’s youth are no longer waiting for opportunity; they are building it themselves.