In Senegal, the agricultural sector employs 70% of the working population. Overall, the demographic structure is particularly youthful, with over 60% of the population below the age of 24 years. Yet, employment opportunities for rural youth remain limited and of poor quality in the country. 

Against this background, facilitating the youth cohort's participation in agriculture by generating more and better jobs in rural areas has the potential to widespread rural poverty reduction amongst youths and adults alike. In particular, there is a distinctive need to organize and bring youth together to improve their capacities for collective actions. "We have to prepare young people to become leaders and drivers of innovation, able to pull the economic development of the country" stated Mr Réda Lebtahi, FAO Representative ad interim.