Youth – feeding the future. Addressing the challenges faced by rural youth aged 15 to 17 in preparing for and accessing decent work
Rural youth are the future of food security and rural poverty reduction. They are also the present as there are more young people today than ever before – 1.8 billion between the ages of 10 and 24 – most of them living in less developed countries and in rural areas. However, youth in rural areas of developing countries face enormous challenges in preparing for and accessing decent work, including in agriculture. These challenges are even greater for youth under the age of 18.
This online consultation invites you to help identify the solutions that can address these challenges. Your contributions will inform the policy and programme recommendations issued by the international expert meeting “Youth – feeding the future: Addressing the challenges faced by rural youth aged 15 to 17 in preparing for and accessing decent work” that will be held by FAO later this year. Selected contributors to the online consultation could also be invited to participate in the expert meeting. (See concept note and participation request form).
Why are we concerned, and what opportunities do we see?
Many youth are working poor, and the youth underemployment situation will continue to worsen if left unaddressed, as millions of young people enter the labour market. At the same time, there is the problem of child labour, with 59% of all child labour taking place in agriculture. Many youth in rural areas see few income and employment opportunities ahead of them. Hence, many are leaving agriculture and their communities to migrate, in search of opportunities in urban areas or abroad.
Yet, with ageing farm populations worldwide, agriculture needs young people. To make agriculture and livelihoods sustainable and achieve food security, better and more environmentally friendly practices need to be introduced. Youth can be the drivers of agricultural and rural transformations that create more inclusive and sustainable food systems. Yet, youth need to see agriculture-related activities as viable and attractive livelihoods that are profitable and match their aspirations for a better future.
What are the challenges facing rural youth aged 15-17?
Rural young people in agriculture face challenges in accessing 1) knowledge, information and education; 2) land; 3) finance; 4) decent jobs, including green jobs; 5) markets; and 6) participation in policy dialogue and rural organizations. These challenges apply broadly to all rural youth in developing countries. Youth under 18 face additional, or different, challenges in accessing decent jobs or becoming successful entrepreneurs. For example, their status as minors can lead to discrimination in hiring and impede access to productive resources and services, such as finance, or their membership in representative organizations. Adequate vocational training is often not available in rural areas and support for the school-to-work transition is weak. Many in this age group work in agriculture and often are exposed and vulnerable to health and safety hazards. When youth aged 15-17 are engaged in hazardous work, this work becomes child labour according to international and national law.
- Based on your experience, what are the specific challenges rural youth aged 15-17 face (different from those over 18) in making a (current or future) living in agriculture and related activities?*
How can these challenges be addressed?
Particular attention needs to be paid to youth under 18 who have reached the minimum age for employment as this stage in life is typically decisive in how youth will transition from school to work and for the likelihood of transiting out of poverty. Many others are already out of school and are trying to provide for themselves and their families. Yet, youth under 18 are often excluded in the design or implementation of policies and programmes supporting youth employment.
We invite you to share your experience on how policies and programmes can address the challenges faced by rural youth, in particular those under 18.
- How can policies and programmes overcome the challenges faced by rural youth in a cost-effective manner? If they target older youth, how could we apply them to support those under 18? Please share relevant examples and lessons from your experience.
- What are the most binding capacity constraints that you or your institution/organization encounter when designing, implementing and evaluating policies and programmes aiming to address the issues affecting rural youth under the age of 18? What are the data gaps regarding the challenges affecting rural youth employment and livelihoods that you periodically encounter?
- How can education and vocational training in rural areas be improved to support rural adolescents and youth to productively engage in agriculture or related activities? What are the skills and support they need? What does the school-to-work transition for rural youth aged 15-17 look like and what works to effectively support rural youth during this transition?
- What approaches are most effective in overcoming the additional challenges rural youth under the age of 18 face in accessing decent jobs, including (decent) green jobs (e.g. skills mismatch, health and safety conditions, discrimination, exclusion) or becoming entrepreneurs (e.g. barriers in access to finance, producers organizations and markets)?
We are particularly interested in policies and programmes that have demonstrated results and achieved scale, and in the role that specific stakeholders can play.
We look forward to a lively and stimulating discussion!
Jacqueline Demeranville
Decent Rural Employment Team
FAO
* In “agriculture and related activities” we are including farming, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry, and natural resource management and green jobs, financial and extension services, and transport, processing and marketing within the agrifood system.
Topics
- Read 120 contributions
Contribution posted on the FSN Forum in West Africa
English translation below
- Vous savez, la jeunesse a été dérouté depuis, avec l'idée que gagner sa vie c'est "aller à l'école pour devenir un Ministre, un Magistrat, un Président, un haut fonctionnaires de l'Etat etc.. Cela faisait mépriser le secteur agricole au profit des pauvres paysans et paysannes qui utilisent des moyens traditionnels pour les cultures vivrières et autres. La course à l'intruction conduit jusqu'à présent à aquérir de gros diplômes pour être au sommet de la hiérarchie pré-établie par l'administration.
Maintenant, la jeunesse, la future génération fera face à d'énorme difficultés de subsistance, vu que la démographie des jeunes est galopante.
Les jeunes ruraux, face aux conséquences désavantageuses des changements climatiques, à la rareté des terres cultivable héritées des parents, les Etats doivent orienter la production agricole vers sa professionalisation:
- Regrouper les jeunes en groupement, les former, les recruter avec toutes les garanties d'assurance, de pensions à la retraite tout en s'attaquant à l'atténuation des enjeux climatiques avec l'utilisation de l'énergie solaire, des cuisinières solaires, des véhicules hybrid.
La lutter effective contre la désertification et la promotion effective de la reforestation. La protection de la biodiversité, l'aquaculture et l'élevage doivent être des priorités dans les politiques. Alors le cadre proprice pour changer la donne est l'école et la valorisation du secteur agricole en créant de débouchés pour les produits et promouvoir l'agro-alimentaire. Des mesures incitatives vont drainer les jeunes vers le secteur si l'avenir les rassurent.
- Les contraintes sont souvent techniques , financiers et l'incertitude des jeunes d'avoir un avenir meilleur avec l'agriculture.
- Le meilleur temps d'éducation est quand on est à l'école ou en apprentissage. c'est pourquoi la jeunesse doit être encadrer à ces moments pour éviter qu'ils perdent leur temps de travail après pour cette cause. Des activités agricoles doivent être couplé de l'instruction. Des ingénieurs agronomes doivent être formés et répartis dans les établissements solaires. Alors il faut une réformes dans le programme scolaire. Ces techniciens agricoles peuvent détecter les talents des jeunes et les orienter vers leur professionalisation entre 15 et 18 ans. A défaut, on peut leur organiser des formations professionnelles en saison sèches s'ils n'ont pas d' activités contre saison.
- Souvent les jeunes ruraux ne maîtrisent pas les mécanismes de prêts bancaires et si certains le font c'est au risque d'endettement en cas d'une mauvaise saison liée soit aux catastrophes naturelles, aux effets du changement climatique ou à la mévente. Alors il faut les former, les équiper (adaptation climatique, irrigation, agriculture Nama, l'agriculture intelligente, la gestion des produits des océans et d'eau douce etc..). En plus il faut une politique d'énergie pour tous, une modernisation des moyens de cuison pour déconnecter la population de l'utilisation du carbone forester(bois, charbon de bois) dans les ménages. Promouvoir les industries de transformation des produits agricoles avec l'expertise des spécialistes en la matière.
L'Afrique dispose de 60% de terre cultivable contre 40% répartie dans le reste du monde entier. Pourquoi le riz doit être importé en Afrique? La plus forte population des jeunes dans le monde se trouve en Afrique. Il est temps de changer de mentalité pour renverser la tendance mais qui doit changer la donne? C'est moi, c'est toi, c'est le gouvernement, c'est nous tous avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.
You know, the youth have been for long pushed off course, with the idea that earning their living means going to school to become a Minister, a Magistrate, a President, a high level civil servant, etc. That led to a disregard for the agricultural sector to the profit of the poor farmers, both men and women, who use traditional means for food producing and other crops. The race for education up until now leads to the acquisition of grand diplomas in order to be at the top of the hierarchy pre-established by the administration.
Now, the youth, the future generation, will have to face enormous difficulties with subsistence, given the soaring demography of the youth.
Since the rural youth are faced with the dire consequences of climatic change and the scarcity of cultivable lands passed down by parents, The States should redirect agricultural production towards more professional methods:
- Form the young in groups, give them training, and win them over with guarantees of insurance and retirement pensions while fighting for the mitigation of climate risks through the use of solar energy, solar cookers and hybrid vehicles.
The successful struggle against desertification and the effective promotion of reforestation. The protection of biodiversity, fish farming and livestock rearing must be prioritized in policies. This being so, the appropriate framework in order to change the situation is the school and the validation of the agricultural sector by creating outlets for products and promoting agro-food business. Incentives will draw the youth towards the sector if the future looks re-assuring.
- The constraints are often technical, financial and the uncertainty of the youth that they will have a better future with agriculture.
- The best time to learn is when one is at school or apprenticed. This is why the youth must be supervised at these times to avoid the loss of their working time later due to this. Agricultural activities must be coupled with instruction. Agricultural engineers must be trained and spread out among school establishments. Next it is necessary to reform the school program. These agricultural technicians can find out the talents of the youth and guide them between the ages of 15 and 18 years old towards becoming professionals. Failing that, they could receive professional training during the dry season if they do not have out of season activities.
- Often the rural youth do not understand the mechanisms of bank loans and if some of them do, it is at the risk of becoming indebted should there be a bad season whether linked to natural catastrophes, to the effects of climate change or to a slump in sales. So, it is necessary to train them, equip them (climate adaptation, irrigation, Nama [Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action] agriculture, intelligent agriculture, the management of sea and freshwater products, etc. ...). Additionally, an energy policy for all is needed, a modernization of the means of cooking to break the population away from using forest derived carbon (wood, charcoal) in their homes. Promote the agricultural products transformation industries with the expertise of specialists in the field.
Africa has 60% of the arable land against the 40% in the rest of the world. Why is it that rice has to be imported into Africa? The world highest youth population is in Africa. It is time to change our way of thinking in order to reverse the trend but who will change this situation? It is I, it is you, it is the government, and it is all of us before it is too late.
Contribution posted on the FSN Forum in West Africa
English translation below
Les jeunes peuvent bien participer à l'augmentation de la production agricole à conditions de prendre un certain nombre de dispositions dont :
* La formation et l'éducation des jeunes;
* l'organisation des jeunes;
* Formation des jeunes à l'éducation financière;
* L'appui à la recherche de financement;
* L'organisation du marché des produits agricole;
* Appui des organisations des jeunes dans le développement des activités culturelles et sportives.
Notre ONG APOR a déjà participé à l'exécution des projets des jeunes qui ont donnés des résultats satisfaisants comme le projet PASADOP, Arziki et le REGIS ER.
The youth could very well take part in the raising of agricultural production provided that a certain number of measures are taken, as follows:
* Training and education of the young;
* Organization of the young;
* Preparation of the young by financial education;
* Support in the search for financing;
* Organization of the market for agricultural products;
* Support for youth organizations in the development of cultural and sport activities.
Our ONG APOR [Action pour la Promotion des Organisations Rurales, Action for the Promotion of Rural Organizations] has already participated in the execution of projects for the youth which have given satisfying results, such as the projects PASADOP, Arziki [a local word in Niger meaning 'prosperity'] and the REGIS ER [Resilience and economic growth enhanced resilience].
Anna Yeritsyan
In addition to very interesting contributions, I would like to add that unfortunately young people in many countries of the region may not even have opportunities to volunteer in agribusinesses, if they wanted to, unless they are of the working age ( that is- over 18). That is why it is very important to provide them with opportunities to somehow use their potential or knowledge. I really like the model utilized by Junior Acheivement project in Armenia. Many of us must be familiar with the model of JA operations. In Armenia they work with the 15-16 y. old schoolkids, teaching them how to establish own business (theory), then the kids actually do that - they select the board of directors, assign positions, issue shares and rais money, then they actually start producing whatever they want - most of the time a craft, handmade something, dried fruit, or herbs. After this they sell the product and generate some profits that are further used to implement a social project. Currently school classes have a very high stress on theory, and there is very little implementation and learning -through-doing, that is the reason why the kids just love this program.
Ministry of Agriculture does not have any projects involving young people, whereas there are groups of young people that are ready to take over some tasks, if we succeed in empowering them.
Courtney Paisley
I work with Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) and while we focus on youth active in the agricultural sector from the age of 18, we understand that the decisions and attitudes towards disciplines are formed at an earlier age.
Our experience with secondary schools: Some of our members who have made successful careers in the agricultural sector have been supported to go to secondary schools in their country to tell their story. We know that not only is there is minimal and negative education on farming and the agricultural sector, but there is also little coverage on what the different possibilities are in this sector; such as opportunities further along the value chain or how to bring value addition closer to the farm. This approach is meant to provide a measured understanding of what is possible - not agriculture is wonderful for everyone and everyone should do it, but this is what you could do, if you so choose. Feedback we receive is that the students appreciate learning about what the different opportunities are and these are largely new for them.
Our experience on what rural youth want: I do think that initiatives that look at youth employment in agriculture also need to work with rural development programmes. Research that we conducted recently in Morocco on the aspirations of young rural people revealed that instead of identifying key critical skills that they need for the job of their dreams, they were still asking for better roads and schools as their top priorities. Thus, our approaches should work within context specific realities as well as with other programmes addressing some of the root causes of poverty.
Thanks for the discussion.
Courtney Paisley, YPARD Director
Je développe un concept de revalorisation des eaux usées pour une agriculture agronomique productive.
Le principal défi pour un agriculteur c'est la rentabilité de son outil de travail, la terre.
Avec les connaissances acteulles il sait ce qu'il va pouvoir semer quand récolter et vendre.il manque un élément très important les intrants. Sauf que l'enrichissement des sols ne pouvant se faire qu'avec de la Matière Organique celle ci se fait rare surtout dans certaines régions comme l'Afrique, endroit ou je travaille sur le sujet.
Les agriculteurs du monde entier font appel à la chimie. Hors celle ci a des défauts que beaucoup peu d'agriculteurs connaissent. 1 l'engrais chimique coute cehr et grève sérieusement le budget de mise en semence. 2 c'est un intrant et comme tout intrant qu'il soit biologique ou chimique il lui faut de l'eau pour se dissoudre. 3 le chimique aura tendance à bruler les racines si la quantité d'eau n'est pas suffisante 4 l'agriculteur sait très bien qu'il vend des produits contaminés et cela ne l'incite pas à se donner à fond dans le travail 5 quand il fait les comptes à la fin de la saison la rentabilité est minime au vu du travail effectué
L'ensemble décourage n'importe quelle bonne volonté
Quand je propose la revalorisation des eaux usées tous les ingénieurs agronomes, les agriculteurs sont intéressés. Mais pour mettre en place le concept il faut de l'argent et bien entendu aucune banque ne lui avance les fonds.
A ce jour en Afrique une banque va soutenir à minima un agriculteur s'il donne la preuve qu'il a signé un contrat de garantie d'achat avec un acheteur.
De partout on met des freins au développement agricole. Après on va implanter des grandes fermes maraîchères dont la production n'est pas garantie mais qu'un acheteur aura cautionnée.
Sauf qu'une fois la vente effectuée, c'est seulement à ce momnet là que l'agriculteur touchera de l'argent. la question qui se pose alors est celle ci: la vente couvrira t elle toutes les dépenses contractées auparavant? Si le champ de production a subit des attaques parasitaires la production est en dessous de la prévision et le système se retrouve endetté. au bout de quelques années le système ferme. En plus ce système ne résout pas deux problématiques: la fixation de la jeunesse sur les terres ancestrales, l'exode de cette jeunesse vers les banlieues des grandes villes à la recherche d'argent facile.
Au contraire notre concept apporte une solution globale
1 il fixe la jeunesse au pays car cette jeunesse obtient une rentabilité très imporgtante.
2 le concept procure du travail à de nombreuses familles locales
3 il enrichit le village
4 il réduit l'exode rurale
5 il apporte une réelle solution au traitement des excréments du village
6 le concept fournit à l'agriculteur un élément contenant de l'eau dans laquelle est dissoute la fertilisation de son sol le tout prêt à l'emploi en illimité à profusion
7 Le concept favorise le développement de la biodiversité et supprime l'érosion des sols
8 le concept supprime la pollution des nappes phréatiques par le chimique, nappes phréatiques dans lesquelles de nombreuses populaiton du monde puisent pour vivre
8 le concept réduit les maladies pendémiques
Dear Jacqueline, the moderator
Please find attached an article on what Buhari [Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, Ed.] said about Youth employment.
I just came across it in my inbox. Take the relevant part of the information on youth, agriculture, stakeholders, productivity etc and throw away the rest. What a timely coincidence, FSN Forum on youth empowerment and Nigeria's verbal insinuative search of solutions and direction. Please intervene ASAP
Happy link reading
Rabiu
Dear Ms Demeranville,
I follow the FSN Forum and I thought you may be interested in a paper that was submitted to the World Forestry Congress last year that has some links to you and food security.
Regards,
Adam
Adam Gerrand
Forest Officer UN-REDD
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Dear Moderator,
Promotion of youth-friendly agricultural technologies such as multistorey (vertical) vegetable gardens, vegetable and tree nurseries, and small livestock rearing. In 2014 and 2015, I coordinated capacity building youth in Nairobi slums on multistorey vegetable gardens and the response was very encouraging. The youth were very excited because the gardens provided them with fresh vegetables, income from sale of the surplus produce and consultation fee gained from constructing the gardens requested by members of their community!
Another opportunity would be in mobile-marketing of agricultural produce and products. This could be offered as a unit in Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training (ATVET).
Identifying role models in agriculture and related activities to be giving motivational talks to the youth on their role in sustainable agriculture
Support for agricultural clubs in secondary schools including exchange tours and competitions
The youth could also be allocated idle but productive public land on temporary basis to refine their skills in commercial agriculture.
Dear Jacqueline, the Moderator
There is one approach that provides inbuilt answer to the interesting rather ‘digging out’ questions that you set
- Youth under 18 accessing financial services, joining producer associations and participating in national youths and agricultural programmes?
- How youth under 18 benefit from policy, programme design or implementation?
The answer could be embedded in the third inquiry you made on education and vocational training and you was searching for cases? How about this
Typical Case
Education and agricultural vocational training used to go hand-in-hand in young farmers club (YFC) program that was famous and effective in Nigeria from colonial era to post independence years spanning up to the 80s when the YFC started disappearing in primary and secondary schools. YFC is collaboration between ministry of education (curriculum management and garden site) and ministry of agriculture (agriculture policy and expertise input) is typical case where policy and programme design deeply rooted. But policy, design and implementation in today’s dispensation all need to be redesigned to accommodate contemporary social and economic changes in society.
The new changes will bring in students of tertiary institutes (universities, poly-techniques, colleges) to prepare the youth towards accessing financial services, join or form producer associations and participate in national agricultural programmes. Thus, in tertiary institutes there is need to have Students Agribusiness Club (SAC) to complement members of the YFC that are on the rise in the education system.
The Required Changes
- New policy together with incentives, grants, development fund to revive YFC in primary and secondary schools in Nigeria
- In tertiary institutes there is need to float and or strengthen Student Agribusiness Club (SAC)
- Programme design for YFC and SAC should focus on vertical and horizontal development of commodity value chains in the country in full coordination with NYAA
- National Young Farmers Association (NYFA) to be headed exclusively by members of the SAC that were democratically elected from the bottom-up youth organizational structures in the states
Further to Charlotte Goemans interesting contribution, as well as leasing of agricultural equipment hire-purchase can also be a way of creating decent rural employment for rural youth. While the tractor may provide security for the loan, some additional guarantee is normally required which may be met by the family. There are great advantages in getting youth involved in small contract work in areas where casual labour has become scarcer due to urban drift. Such youth are motivated and prepared to work long hours. Farmers therefore get their land prepared at reasonable cost and contractor services can also cover other operations including harvesting and threshing.
Such hire-purchase schemes can be valuable in providing a 'market' for youth labour. The problem with vocational training is that often there is only a weak or non-existent rural market for anything half-way 'decent'. In this situation vocational training becomes a very much two-edged weapon and can in fact speed-up the process or urban drift. Any agricultural or fishery college certificate is all too often used as the passport for a job in the city.
This activity is now closed. Please contact [email protected] for any further information.