Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Dear Jacqueline and friends,

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute ideas to this very important discussion. The ages between 15 and 17 are certainly crucial years, particularly for transferring knowledge between the generations. 

For the past 15 years, I have worked with Farms & Gardens for the Disabled, a non-profit organization that helps all people reach the soil more easily, regardless of physical impairment. The relevance of this work to the discussion of rural youth and agriculture has to do with enabling elderly and disabled mentors and teachers, while making farming and gardening more available and rewarding to young people. 

By filling recycled containers (i.e. broken refrigerators, recycled fruit bins, etc.) with soil, several advantages are achieved. To begin with, a garden can be grown anywhere  that water is available. Places that would otherwise not support food production can be transformed by gardening in containers filled with soil. 

In essence, by raising the level of the soil to where people can easily reach it, several advantageous dynamics are initiated. First of all, elders and disabled people are able to contribute to farm & garden food production. Secondarily, because they are able to participate, they are able to pass on their knowledge and experience to the younger generations who need to learn the skills and discipline involved with food production. 

For young people, gardening while standing is more agreeable than having to bend or crawl around on the ground, or use tools to work the soil at ground level. Because container gardening eliminates much of the hardship and uncertainty of growing food, by reducing pest infestation, increasing water efficiency and providing a more functional way of growing food, the overall experience of gardening is much more consistently rewarding for everyone involved

I trust that these ideas will help people to expand their available farming and gardening areas, while integrating elderly and disabled gardeners into an inclusive cultural dynamic, to empower and educate youth.

Best wishes,

Paul J. von Hartmann

Farms & Gardens for the Disabled

Platina, California

USA

Hi all,

Is a great pleasure for me to be able to give my modest opinion on an important like this one. 15 to 17 years is a very sensitive age ranch and a better canalisation of energies of these teenagers is a pillar determinant of their future. These rural youths are in labour and my contribution focused in examining this labour to propose results that may help manage it. Find the paper attached.

Regards

Dear Jacqueline,

It is my pleasure to submit my input for this important topic. I have worked with youth throughout East Africa over the course of my career. I have been working in international development for nearly thirty years now. I have seen some fantastic and dramatic changes specifically in East Africa. Although many positive changes have occurred, there are a number of areas for improvement to equip today’s youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to be competitive in today’s market in agriculture. Three key areas that are entrance pathways to improving rural youth employment are public-private sector engagement, curriculum development, and mentorship.

Example of Public-Private Sector Engagement

I am currently the Innovation Portfolio Manager for the Innovative Agricultural Research Initiative (iAGRI). My role is to ensure that technologies and tools developed as a result of student research reaches end users through the testing of prototypes for postharvest technologies and irrigation systems, eventually linking these technologies with SMEs. Through the process, students gain entrepreneurial skills and learn how to make the link between ideas and innovative solutions to challenges faced by rural communities. Many of the youth in East Africa are not employable. They have been trained in the theory and basic knowledge of agriculture, but not in areas that fit today’s market. This type of initiative is an example of how youth in East Africa are not employable can be prepared with practical skills that fit today’s market.

As part of these activities, iAGRI has recently launched a public-private partnership initiative called the Tractor Training and Research Program. The program is a partnership between Sokoine University of Agriculture, John Deere, LonAgro, and USAID to provide practical training opportunities for rural youth and farmers. The program centers on the use of tractor implements for conservation agriculture and ploughing, but also include modules on budgeting, finance, project planning, and tractor maintenance. These skills are invaluable for youth as greater mechanization of the agriculture sector is increased. The partnership has also included finance options for advanced trainees to develop their own contracting business and to purchase tractors and tractor implements.

The program was launched in April 2016 and has had 120 participants from the Morogoro Region engaged in the training sessions. In the future, the program will also be implemented in rural areas with farmers targeting women and youth to develop skills to increase agricultural production and efficiency through the use of tractor and their associated implements. These types of programs are able to link rural youth with services, access to finance, and skills that will enable them to harness improved technologies and understand the business of agriculture in a way that traditional education schemes often do not incorporate.

Attached is a project update concerning the Tractor Training and Research Program from the first cohort of students for the Boot Camp with quotes about their experience.

Suggestions for Curriculum Development

The development of curricula needs to be improved with greater linkages made between Ministries of Education and Ministries of Agriculture. This linkage would improve the focus of curricula to incorporate demand-driven, industry-facing skills that many graduates of agricultural programs do not incorporate. In a recent publication on Education, Research, and Innovation in Africa by the Belfer Center’s Calestous Juma, provides examples of the incorporation of innovation and entrepreneurial skills in curriculum development such as courses in business administration and marketing. The discussion paper uses the EARTH University example of the Entrepreneurial Projects Program as a way forward for incorporating practical skills into agricultural education and training (AET). A recent article from Muhammad Yunus (founder of Grameen Bank) echoes the same sentiments on equipping people with the right skills to tackle unemployment and create wealth.

The composition of school boards should also be split between public and private sector actors. Currently, the decision-making is made by administrators of education with little knowledge or experience of bridging the gap between school and work in the agriculture sector. Internship programs should provide a natural linkage between public sector partners and the private sector, enabling students to develop skills that meet industry needs.

Highlight on Mentoring

In addition to curriculum development, mentoring also opens doors for students to develop entrepreneurial skills and mindsets needed to overcome challenges faced by rural youth. As an example of this, iAGRI has incorporated mentoring for high school students, particularly young female students into its customized indicators for tracking community development and sustainability. Students are paired with mentors that have invaluable experience and understanding of changing systems. While school-based learning is also essential, this pairing and mentoring of young students is a tool of learning, professional development, and empowerment that is often underutilized and undervalued in the development of project activities. In addition, there are a number of opportunities for projects aimed at strengthening higher education systems to also encourage interaction with youth 15-17 years old. This type of interaction is encouraging for the youth and also validating for the individuals in tertiary education of the value of the skills and knowledge they have built thus far.

CONTRIBUTION POSTED ON THE FSN FORUM IN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

RUSSIAN VERSION BELOW

About rural youth employment

Current situation. Rural youth are the foundation of sustainable development for the agricultural sector and for rural areas. Therefore, the preparation and participation of rural youth in economic activities should be given particular attention, and they should be provided with appropriate support from government agencies at national and local levels and from civil society organizations. More importantly, secondary and university schools, who work directly with young people, should provide vocational trainings and guidance, and educate about the labour market and recruitment processes. These efforts should include young people under the age of 18, most of which are still in school, and yet detached from the labour market (although they are part of the labour market in terms of manpower and resources). 

Issues. Employment of rural youth is a very complex task, given the difficulties of employment for youth in general, and the unemployment levels in the country or in the regions. Moreover, rural youth face additional challenges given the problems they face in the agricultural sector and in rural areas; the issues are further aggravated for rural youth aged 15 to 18 years, because:

1.       This group is very fragile in terms of their socio-psychological development and thinking, and they are less competitive in terms of skills, expertise and professionalism.

2.       In Russia, as in many countries, the right to work is established in the Constitution, as well as in other legal documents. The implementation is supervised at a national level, however, it is challenging to implement and control at local level, and it is even harder in rural areas. 

3.       There are a number of social and psychological aspects of the market and specific to young people, especially in this age group; including the fact that employers themselves must perceive this group of youngsters as an asset for the labour force.

4.       The mechanization of agriculture and automatization reduce labour demand in agriculture. In this case, rural youth employment opportunities lie in non-agricultural activities that provide various types of services or in small businesses that work on processing agricultural raw materials and infrastructure. The private sector case support rural youth in this type of employment opportunities, with the collaboration of the state.

5.       In addition to the rural-economy and the population living in rural areas, more and more acute environmental problems are arising, which require the consideration and adoption of measures to conserve natural resources.

What is being done? Addressing rural youth employment issues are integrated in the current youth policy strategy of Russia, until the end of 2016. This strategy includes a set of priorities aimed at young people, including tasks related to the participation of youth in the implementation of priority national projects. This strategy is focused mainly on Russian citizens aged between 14 and 30 years, including young people who find themselves in difficult situations, as well as young families. In the country, job fairs and open days in enterprises and in higher and secondary specialized schools are being held; access is limited for rural youth, especially for this younger age group, given the geographical distance, as well as for economic and transport reasons.

What needs to be done? At the same time, rural youth employment issues are not fully taken into account in the above strategy. The strategy requires development of special programs to work with rural youth with a clear definition of tasks and responsibilities at all levels (from federal to municipal level, taking into account the characteristics of the regions and the local conditions). Such a program should include special events designed to attract teenagers to work, without prejudice about continuing studies and secondary education.  

Support for this young people should be provided to prepare them for work, including activities to develop problem-solving skills, relationship building with professionals, and encouraging them to take responsibility for their future. For instance: teaching the basics of employment in schools, and conducting educational work by specialized institutions with trips to rural areas.

In large rural settlements, effective social structures should be developed and implemented to overcome youth unemployment and to prepare youth for future employment; for instance, youth labour networks and online platforms. The main focus should be on orientation and guidance, to prepare young people for the labour market, promote their employment, and prevent long-term unemployment.

In addition, I would like to emphasize that the designated question on rural youth employment under the age of 18 years, requires research, analysis, evaluation and monitoring. Regular or constant employment of rural youth between the ages of 14 and 18 years is not only unsound but also shows the effects of poverty increase. In order to prepare for employment, this group of young people can be engaged in temporary or seasonal work (for example, during the holidays, or as part-time work), and should focus on career guidance and preparation of the basic concepts of the labour market, including relevant courses at school.

Recommendations. Based on the above, it is recommended to carry out the following measures to solve the problem of rural youth unemployment:

1.       Adaptation of the legal framework and developing a strategy for the organization of employment for rural youth;

2.       Creation of rural youth platforms or networks to share information and knowledge;

3.       Attracting rural youth under the age of 18 to temporary or seasonal employment, through awareness raising efforts;

4.       Inclusion of special courses focusing on career guidance and fundamental information about the labour market in  education and in specialized institutions.

5.   Monitoring and evaluation of the above action, involving a comprehensive study.

Вопросы занятости сельской молодёжи.

Актуальность. Сельская молодёжь является основой устойчивого развития сельского хозяйства и сельской местности в будущем, поэтому  их подготовке и вовлечению в хозяйственную деятельность должно уделяться особое внимание и соответствующая поддержка государственными структурами национального и местного уровней  и общественными организациями. Это также направление деятельности для высших и средних учебных заведений и опытно – экспериментальных структур, которые могут непосредственно работать с молодёжью в плане профессиональной ориентации и просвещении о рынках труда и особенностях найма. Причём эта деятельность должна охватывать молодёжь до 18 лет, основная часть которых ещё учится в школах и пока ещё оторвана от рынка труда, хотя уже является её частью с  точки зрения перспективы и источников трудовых ресурсов.       

Особенности проблемы. Занятость сельской молодёжи – задача  комплексная и усложнённая так, как напрямую связана с занятостью молодёжи вообще и уровнем безработицы в целом по стране или регионе. Более того, проблема занятости сельской молодёжи имеет свою специфику, отражающая состояние и проблемы сельского хозяйства и сельской местности.  Рассматриваемая группа молодёжи в возрасте от 15 до 18 лет ещё более усугубляет проблему в силу следующих причин.

1. Эта социальная группа наиболее хрупкая по своему социально-психологическому статусу и мышлению. Она также менее всего конкурентоспособная  по навыкам, специальным знаниям и профессионализму.
2. В России, как и во многих странах, право на труд узаконено Конституцией, а также рядом других законодательных документов. Исполнение их возложено и контролируется на  национальном уровне, но сопряжено сложностями на местном уровне и ещё более осложняется в сельских населённых пунктах  и территориях.
3. Существует ряд социально-психологических и рыночных аспектов характерных для молодёжи, особенно данной возрастной группы. К ним относятся восприятие этой группы как трудовые ресурсы самими работодателями на рынке труда.
4. Особенности сельского хозяйства и повышение уровня его механизации и автоматизации ведут к сокращению удельного веса занятости в сельском хозяйстве. В этом случае возможность трудоустройства сельской молодёжи возможно путём развития самой сельской местности и увеличения там количества предприятий несельскохозяйственного характера ( non agricultural) по предоставлению разного рода услуг или малых предприятий-цехов по переработке сельскохозяйственного сырья или инфраструктуры, что в свою очередь связано с дополнительными инвестициями. Здесь особую роль сможет выполнить частный сектор при содействии со стороны государства.
5. Кроме для сельско-хозяйства и населения, проживающего в сельской местности, всё более остро встают экологические проблем, которые требуют изучения и принятия мер по сохранению природных ресурсов.

Что делается? В настоящее время вопросы занятости сельской молодёжи в России являются составной частью действующей  стратегии государственной молодежной политики. Она разработана на период, включая 2016 год. Эта стратегия  охватывает совокупность приоритетных направлений, ориентированных на молодежь, включающих задачи, связанные с участием молодежи в реализации приоритетных национальных проектов. Настоящая стратегия ориентирована преимущественно на граждан Российской Федерации в возрасте от 14 до 30 лет, в том числе на молодых людей, оказавшихся в трудной жизненной ситуации, а также на молодые семьи. В стране проводятся ярмарки труда и дни открытых дверей на предприятиях и в высших и средних специальных заведениях, доступ к которым в силу географических расстояний, экономических и транспортных причин для сельской молодёжи ограничен, особенно для данной возрастной группы. 

Что надо сделать? В тоже время вопросы занятости сельской молодёжи не учитывают в полной мере изложенные выше особенности. Требуется разработка специальной программы по работе с сельской молодёжью с чётким определением задач и функций на всех уровнях (от  Федерального до муниципального уровня, с учетом специфики регионов и местных условий). Такая программа должна предусматривать проведение специальных мероприятий, направленных на привлечение подростков к трудовой деятельности без ущерба в продолжении учёбы и получении специального образования.

Для этой группы сельской молодёжи следует оказание содействия в организации трудовой практики для приобщения молодых людей к труду и развитию подходов по решению задач само обеспечения в будущем. Параллельно проводить мероприятия, направленные на построение эффективных самостоятельных взаимоотношений с участниками рынка труда, стимулирование развития творческой активности молодежи и ее ответственности за свое будущее. Такие мероприятия включают преподавание основ трудоустройства в школах, а также проведение пропагандисткой и просветительной работы специализированными учебными заведениями с выездами в сельские районы. 

Для крупных сельских пунктов можно и необходимо разрабатывать и внедрять эффективные социальные технологии преодоления молодежной безработицы и их подготовке к будущей трудовой деятельности, к числу которых относится создание молодежных бирж труда или молодёжной платформы труда, в том числе в режиме on-line. Основным направлением молодежной биржи или платформы труда должна стать про- ориентационная и профилактическая работа, направленная на подготовку молодёжи к рынку труда, содействию их трудоустройства и предотвращению длительной безработицы.

Кроме того, хотелось бы подчеркнуть, что  обозначенный вопрос по занятости сельской молодёжи в возрасте до 18 лет, требует его исследования, анализа, оценки и мониторинга. Регулярное или постоянное привлечение к труду сельской молодёжи в возрасте от 14 до 18 лет является не только неперспективным, но  и характеризует последствия увеличения бедности. В целях подготовке к трудовой деятельности, эту группу молодёжи можно привлекать на временные или сезонные работы или практику (т.е. во время каникул и  на основе частичной занятости и ответственности), но основное внимание следует уделять профориентации и получению основных представлений по рынку труда путём включения соответствующих курсов в школьное образование.

Рекомендации. Исходя из вышеизложенного, рекомендуется провести следующие мероприятия для решения проблемы занятости сельской молодёжи:

1. Приведение в соответствие юридической базы и разработка специальной стратегии по организации работы с сельской молодёжью;
2. Создание сельских молодёжных бирж или платформ с подключением on-line информирования и образования;
3. Проведение пропагандистской работы по привлечению к трудовой деятельности сельской молодёжи в возрасте до 18 лет на временной или сезонной основе;
4. Включение в образовательные программы школ и средних специальных заведения спецкурсов по профориентации и основ рынка труда;
5. Организацию на постоянной основе систему мониторинга и оценки вышеперечисленных направлений на основе проведённого комплексного исследования.    

YOUTH FEEDING THE FUTURE-ADDRESSING RURAL YOUTH AGED 15-17 IN PREPARING FOR AND ACCESSING DECENT WORK

1. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACED

1.1. EMPLOYMENT IN FISHING ACTIVITIES.

a) There are about 200,000 fishers (crew) on Lake Victoria and these include individuals of age 15 to 17. The fishers learn on the job. There is no specialized training in fishing activities.

b) The fishers are paid a portion of the value of the catch. Payment is on daily basis and most of them have no bank accounts making saving very difficult.

c) There is no formal arrangement like a contract between the boat owner and the crew. It is just an understanding between the two and they can be dismissed anytime.

d) The fishing activities are risky but most of the crew are not provided with safety equipment like life jackets although it is a requirement and there are hardly any lifesaving arrangements in case of accidents on the lake.

1.2. EMPLOYMENT IN FISH FARMING ACTIVITIES

The youth are employed in construction of ponds, cages, making of nets, feeding and harvesting of the fish. There is no formal training for the youth to acquire skills but learn on the job from their colleagues.

1.3. EMPLOYMENT IN PROCESSING/MARKETING ACTIVITIES.

Youth are engaged in carrying fish from the boats to the drying places, loading into vehicle, packaging and supply of fish to markets. The work arrangement is an understanding between two people. It is informal and may change from time to time.

2. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN EMPLOYMENT AND CONDITIONS OF WORK:

a) Awareness creation and making it mandatory to have formal contracts when employing the youth to show conditions of work

b) Organization of the youth into associations/groups to have a lobbying force, encourage networking to learn from each other and to access financial support as a group

c) Linking the youth organizations/groups to government/Financial institutions/NGOs for technical and financial support.

d) Training in fishing and fish farming activities to get a document which shows what they know to bargain for better pay.

e) Provision of safety equipment to reduce risks while fishing

f) Promote opening of bank accounts and payments to be done monthly through the bank to encourage saving

g) Training the youth in financial management, investment opportunities, writing of proposals to get funding including project management

Dr. Rhoda Tumwebaze

Director Fisheries Management and Development

Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization.

Jinja, Uganda

Dear All,

Thank you for your many rich contributions and the models and approaches that you are sharing!

A number of you have mentioned the need for role models for youth in agriculture, improvements in rural infrastructure in general to attract youth to want to stay and work in rural areas, and especially the importance for them to see good income opportunities in agricultural activities. How can we support youth under 18 to make a good, secure income in agriculture, addressing the additional barriers they face due to their age? How can we ensure that agricultural interventions also benefit younger youth?

For those contributors who have mentioned they only work with youth over 18, can you tell us a little more about this decision, so that we can understand better the additional support this group might need or the challenges you are facing in reaching this age group?

Some of the contributions have also mentioned the importance of addressing child labour and youth employment together. How can we strengthen the linkages between child labour and youth employment programmes to treat these young people as a continuum and take more of a life-cycle approach? What is being done to promote safe work for youth under 18 in agriculture while avoiding child labour?

Lastly, A number of you have shared initatives related to providing vocational training to rural youth or work with schools improving agricultural and climate education. How can such initiatives be scaled-up to reach the vast numbers of rural children and youth?

I look forward to our continued discussion, and the approaches you can share on addressing the specific challenges faced by youth under 18 in engaging in agriculture-related activities.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Jacqueline

I am responding on behalf of Grace Ochieng Andiki (Founder and Coordinator of Got Matar Community Development Group, western Kenya) and myself (retained by the Group as its volunteer fund-raiser).

We believe that it may be useful to share with participants a practical example of how one community, without waiting for government to respond to its needs, has sought to address some of the issues being considered under “Youth – Feeding the Future”.

We will tell you briefly about an on-going initiative, led and managed by the community,  aimed at creating better opportunities in life for young people in a very deprived rural area of western Kenya, hit very hard by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Around the turn of the century about one third of the adults were HIV positive, and the working age population was dying out, leaving about 30% of the children orphans. Some of the children carried the virus.

It is hard to imagine the sheer scale and depth of the human and economic impact of this blow on a community already living in deep poverty.

Recognizing that “life must continue through odds”, a group of “serious thinkers” set up and registered a Community Development Group. The Group decided that as the community had “lost a generation”, the priority should be to make sure that its children could enjoy a decent education. They focussed first on upgrading facilities and capacity in the 10 primary and pre-primary schools serving the area (2002-2006). In 2006 they decided to build a 600-place secondary school, one block of classrooms each year over 4 years; they allocated community owned land, began planning and fund-raising and, within 4 months, had constructed the first block, employed teachers and enrolled 114 Form 1 pupils!

The new school  was intended to cut the “brain drain” by enabling youth to continue their post-primary education within the area rather than have to leave their homes to attend secondary school, and probably never return to live and work in their villages. The core facilities were largely completed in 2010, when the first batch of “graduates” left, many going on to higher education. The community, having built the school, handed its operation over to the Ministry of Education to assure continuity. However, in keeping with its original aims, the Community continues to arrange bursaries for well qualified children, especially orphans, from the poorest families to ensure that they have equal access to good education and a daily school lunch.

The original idea had been to include opportunities for practical skills training in the secondary school curriculum, but this proved impossible. So a third phase of the programme offers young girls and boys training in a range of practical skills, aimed at broadening employment opportunities and accelerating local development processes. In 2011 the Community registered and began to set up an Institute of Technology (IoT) to run the skills training programme, starting it up in rented buildings so as to avoid engaging in major capital expenditure until it was certain of its feasibility. Training in practical skills is of particular importance in a situation in which the normal inter-generational transfer of knowledge from parents to their children has been badly interrupted.

There are now about 100 young pupils (many in the 15-17 year old bracket) in the IoT, 75% of whom are girls. Courses are offered in Tailoring and Dress-making, Food and Nutrition, Wood-work, Metal-work, Computer skills, Masonry, Car Mechanics, Beauty Therapy and Hairdressing. All courses lead to nationally recognized diplomas. These skills are all relevant to local and national development. As part of their apprenticeship, students engage in practical work, off-setting part of their tuition fees – for example in making school uniforms, taking part in building and furnishing the new IoT buildings (as well as the girls’ dormitory for the secondary school).

The immediate aim is to raise the number of courses from 8 to 10, responding to local demand, and to increase the number of pupils to 200. The Institute will eventually have 10 specialised training workshops and an administration block as well as a dormitory. This should allow the Institute to operate on a financially viable footing, with income from tuition fees and bursaries as well as from the sale of goods and services covering its recurrent costs – mainly teachers’ salaries. Two training workshops have already been built and equipped, and funds have been raised for two more to be completed this year. The Community is seeking another US$135,000 to complete the facilities (see  www.gotmatar.org).

The Community has raised resources from both external donors and local sources to cover capital costs and the costs of bursaries. Though funds have always been tight, donors have responded well because of the strong commitment of the Community to its children and because of its efficiency in managing the process. Management is entirely local with no foreign presence (except a brief period during which two Norwegian “gap year” students taught in one of the primary schools).

What we can say is that the Community Development Group has gone a long way towards achieving its goals. It has done a lot to widen opportunities for young people from the area, especially girls, to get a decent and accessible education, and the results from the final exams taken by secondary school leavers are showing a progressive improvement in performance. All of this will, without doubt, improve livelihood and employment opportunities for those who have benefitted.

It is still too early, however, to arrive at an objective judgement of the impact that investing in better education is having on the community and the local economy, let alone specifically on its 15-17 year olds. We don’t know whether more will stay  within the community or, armed with better knowledge and skills, will seek employment elsewhere. We cannot say for certain that boys and girls who have completed their secondary schooling and stay at home, running the family farm, are better than others in bringing about improvements. What is encouraging is that some of the first students who have already graduated from university are doing volunteer teaching in the schools during their holidays. A number who have chosen to be trained in the health sector are engaged in addressing HIV-related problems, especially the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the virus. IoT graduates in Tailoring/dressmaking and Wood-work are setting themselves up in business – and so on. The presence of the new educational facilities is helping people, young and old, to take a new pride in their community and to emerge with greater confidence from the profound demoralisation induced by the AIDS epidemic.

The extent to which young better educated people decide to stay in the community where they were born and to contribute to its development, ultimately depends on whether it offers opportunities for them to earn a decent living. The area still suffers from poor health services (though these are getting better), lack of safe drinking water and very limited access to mains electricity supplies. As throughout the rest of Kenya and most of the world, the prospects of making a decent income from farming and fishing – the mainstays of the local economy - will remain unattractive until the urban bias in food policies that favours low consumer prices is changed to ensure that food producers are properly remunerated for their labour and investments.

Andrew & Grace

It's great that the International Community is coming out to tackle the challenges faced by rural youth aged 15 and 17, we all understand that the agricultural sector is one of the most important sectors in the development of any country. But here in Africa rural youth face alot of challenges ranging from lack of enough schools, resources used in agricultural activities and lack of proper government policies that can attract them to take up agriculture as real business. A big number of rural youth don't take agriculture as a real business that can help them in uplifting their livelihoods, and because of that, food security is affected and it also affects the development of their communities and that's why we can see a big number of young people migrating from rural areas to urban areas searching out for better opportunities. But if the International Community works together with the government so that they put up agricultural schools, institutions and organisations that can teach them and also encourage them to take up agriculture as real business that can change the way they live and their families thus fighting hunger and poverty. Thank you.

Contribution posted on the FSN Forum in West Africa

English translation below

 

Bonsoir, 

Je pense que le problème de la jeunesse actuellement doit être réglé à la base car l'inadéquation entre la formation et l’emploi recherche constitue un vrais frein pour les jeunes. Ainsi il faut un suivi psychopédagogique dès le bas âge pour déceler le talent du jeune pour pouvoir l'orienter normalement car c'est ne pas le fait d'avoir 18 au BAC en mathématique par exemple  qui fera que ce jeune sera un pilote après. Aussi il faut plus orienter les formations vers une formation plus pratique, donc revisiter les curricula.

Je pense aussi que les pouvoirs publics doivent mettre sur pied de vrais politiques dans les zones rurales à travers la construction des centres incubateurs dans n'importe quels domaines mais surtout l'agriculture pour accompagner les jeunes déscolarisés car on les trouve plus dans ces zones à cause du manque de moyen pour la poursuite des études. Cela permettra à ces jeunes d'avoir la bonne maîtrise des bonnes méthodes culturale surtout une agriculture résiliente pour pouvoir faire face aussi aux changements climatiques. A travers ces centres il sera vraiment inculqué au quotidien  par les formations l'esprit entrepreneurial dans la tête de ces jeunes.

Hello! 

I believe that the problem with young people now must be sorted out because the discrepancy between training and the employment looked for represents a real obstacle for the youth. Accordingly, a psycho-pedagogical follow-up is necessary from an early age to detect talent among the young in order to guide them normally, because it is not a question of scoring 18 for the BAC in mathematics, for example, which will later turn this young person into an airplane pilot. It is also necessary to redirect training towards a more practical preparation, which means reviewing the curricula.

I also think that the public powers must implement real policies in the rural areas by setting up preparation and development centers  in whatever  fields, but especially in agriculture to guide children who are not at school, because they are more numerous in these areas due to the lack of means to continue studying. This will enable these youth to have a firm command of good methods of cultivation, in particular of an agriculture that is resilient in the face of climatic changes. Through these centers, a business-like approach will be really installed in the minds of these youth through training.

I would like first to thank all the team of FSN in addressing this topic as a discussion in this forum.  Youth face big challenges  in developing countries. First  to have access  to land as they are seen not to be so much responsible at this age 15-17 in some developing countries. Secondly the lack of education is a factor that plays against them to have access to financial support.  I think youth can be supported if we can organize, educate and let them become responsible at this age in term of developing the agriculture sector in rural area. Agriculture policy must be oriented to those rural youth because they can contribute a lot to the development of agriculture, food security and the fight against malnutrition in developing countries.