My recent three years’ experience in the food security industry within the unstable region of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo through the agro pastoral production has let me understand how sustainable food security in my country is more of youth implication. Although a multitude of Nongovernmental Organization and development Cooperation agencies pretend to bring their response by throwing money and technology to local uneducated farmers, the big gap still have to be covered in terms of how those with enough physical and intellectual capacity, the youth, need to be mentored, get involved, learn and teach each other from their experience, create distribution canals, enhance cooperation and build a sustainable food secure economy. This is the great question I want to address in my country knowing that, with a statistics of Youth approximated to 54%, it is far more an asset than a threat and the policies for food security and nutrition should go in that direction. From my humble participation, I cofounded the Youth Forward Congo Organization gathering youth for agro business promotion in eastern Congo since one year and a half and realize that the very big percent of the youth didn’t undertake any action yet, some who take actions don’t have enough capabilities or mentorship and also those who are supposed to help do it with disinterest or in a disoriented manner (not addressing the real challenge).
Q/ In an environment of cultural diversity and post-conflict , where agriculture is considered a vulnerable and poor people's profession. What can be done to awaken the agricultural entrepreneurial spirit within the youth?
السيد Bienvu Polepole