It has been long overstated that agriculture offers varied opportunities for youth, but how can we make it more attractive for them? Agriculture requires hard work, dedication, witt and being able to tap onto lucrative markets taking advantage of online platforms. Opportunities exist from research, policy, breeding, ICT, value chain, marketing you name it, but our potential is adversely impacted.
Africa has been labelled to have the largest “youth bulge”, with such demographic youth explosion largely absorbed by cities which has not been met by a similar growth in economic opportunities for youth. A lot of research has been conducted to deduce mechanisms to address this challenge from policy reforms to embracing entrepreneurial behavior amongst the youth across Africa through various regional and continental youth-oriented programs. What is lacking is ACTION, ACTION and more ACTION, but on whose part.
Youth unemployment has resulted in inequality and marginalization. Lack of work-relevant skills, lack of information and connections for acquiring appropriate skills, lack of experience and credentials that could allow youth to get started on an upward career path, and limited opportunities for entry-level work that is career oriented have widened the youth unemployment rate. This demographic dividend represents a valuable asset to firms in their capacities as consumers, influencers, innovators, and tech-savvy employees.
If this demographic dividend is properly harnessed, this increase in the working age population could support increased productivity and a more inclusive economic growth rate across the continent. However, this asset remains untapped due to various obstacles that include low industrial activity, lack of skills, start-up resources and infrastructure. Long spells of youth unemployment or underemployment permanently lower future productive potential and earnings. Lack of economic opportunity also fuels conflict and instability.
Many African countries are implementing pro youth policies reforms to improve the youth development ecosystem. In recent years such initiatives have established policies that cover employment, gender, capacity building, investment, budget allocation, and funding and education transformation. Governments have further demonstrated their commitment by establishing fully fledged government ministries or special commissions dealing with youth development and empowerment. Whilst the factors listed above have been highlighted as vital in increasing youth participation, education transformation has remained at the center of the debate as pivotal in developing a lasting solution to the youth panacea.
As an early-career researcher and youth in the agriculture field, this topic is at the heart of my work. Agriculture has and continues to be the engine and backbone of most African economies. A microscopic analysis of the agriculture value chain, from farm and fork provides an understanding of the vast opportunities that exist for effective youth participation. Agriculture is not only restricted to production. From tapping onto digital platforms as lucrative sources of markets while breaking regional and international borders to exploring hands-on activities like production and value addition (food processing). Access to new markets and technologies and mobile capabilities are also challenging the young savvy to be more creative. With unprecedented statistics on the rate of food waste, this provides avenues for creativity.
Digitalisation has opened up pathways for youth to take action but certain issues hinder its potential, which include the increasing digital divide between rural and urban populace, cost of mobile data amongst others. Online platforms have been thriving, breaking regional and international borders to reach lucrative markets e.g the Kenyan owned Mkulima Young which uses social media to share success stories and create a market place for agricultural buyers and sellers
On a weekly basis, I come across youth who are championing and tapping onto agriculture as a serious career. It is promising to see some youth venturing into agricultural production and procession, using digital platforms to share and motivate more youth to take up the space and not become a unemployed statistic. We have a number of undocumented and well-known youth agripreneurs who are championing in this sector. In Zimbabwe, we have youth who have been at the forefront promoting biofortification, the use of drones to improve efficiency, bridging the gender gap amongst other case studies. Along the way, they have met their fair share of challenges, but it’s the dedication that pushed them to break the glass ceiling and make the change. Each country has youth championing agriculture, with some being well documented, hence challenges faced may not be similar. Access to financial support, bureaucracy/red tape, lack of access to land, lack of collateral, market challenges, and lack of sufficient business knowledge have been cited as main barriers for youth to fully engage in agriculture.
As the world came to a standstill, coming to terms with the Covid-19 pandemic, this has adversely impacted on agricultural food systems, dampening some hopes of truly transforming the face of agriculture.
It has been long overstated that agriculture offers varied opportunities for youth, but how can we make it more attractive for them? Agriculture requires hard work, dedication, witt and being able to tap onto lucrative markets taking advantage of online platforms. Opportunities exist from research, policy, breeding, ICT, value chain, marketing you name it, but our potential is adversely impacted.
Africa has been labelled to have the largest “youth bulge”, with such demographic youth explosion largely absorbed by cities which has not been met by a similar growth in economic opportunities for youth. A lot of research has been conducted to deduce mechanisms to address this challenge from policy reforms to embracing entrepreneurial behavior amongst the youth across Africa through various regional and continental youth-oriented programs. What is lacking is ACTION, ACTION and more ACTION, but on whose part.
Youth unemployment has resulted in inequality and marginalization. Lack of work-relevant skills, lack of information and connections for acquiring appropriate skills, lack of experience and credentials that could allow youth to get started on an upward career path, and limited opportunities for entry-level work that is career oriented have widened the youth unemployment rate. This demographic dividend represents a valuable asset to firms in their capacities as consumers, influencers, innovators, and tech-savvy employees.
If this demographic dividend is properly harnessed, this increase in the working age population could support increased productivity and a more inclusive economic growth rate across the continent. However, this asset remains untapped due to various obstacles that include low industrial activity, lack of skills, start-up resources and infrastructure. Long spells of youth unemployment or underemployment permanently lower future productive potential and earnings. Lack of economic opportunity also fuels conflict and instability.
Many African countries are implementing pro youth policies reforms to improve the youth development ecosystem. In recent years such initiatives have established policies that cover employment, gender, capacity building, investment, budget allocation, and funding and education transformation. Governments have further demonstrated their commitment by establishing fully fledged government ministries or special commissions dealing with youth development and empowerment. Whilst the factors listed above have been highlighted as vital in increasing youth participation, education transformation has remained at the center of the debate as pivotal in developing a lasting solution to the youth panacea.
As an early-career researcher and youth in the agriculture field, this topic is at the heart of my work. Agriculture has and continues to be the engine and backbone of most African economies. A microscopic analysis of the agriculture value chain, from farm and fork provides an understanding of the vast opportunities that exist for effective youth participation. Agriculture is not only restricted to production. From tapping onto digital platforms as lucrative sources of markets while breaking regional and international borders to exploring hands-on activities like production and value addition (food processing). Access to new markets and technologies and mobile capabilities are also challenging the young savvy to be more creative. With unprecedented statistics on the rate of food waste, this provides avenues for creativity.
Digitalisation has opened up pathways for youth to take action but certain issues hinder its potential, which include the increasing digital divide between rural and urban populace, cost of mobile data amongst others. Online platforms have been thriving, breaking regional and international borders to reach lucrative markets e.g the Kenyan owned Mkulima Young which uses social media to share success stories and create a market place for agricultural buyers and sellers
On a weekly basis, I come across youth who are championing and tapping onto agriculture as a serious career. It is promising to see some youth venturing into agricultural production and procession, using digital platforms to share and motivate more youth to take up the space and not become a unemployed statistic. We have a number of undocumented and well-known youth agripreneurs who are championing in this sector. In Zimbabwe, we have youth who have been at the forefront promoting biofortification, the use of drones to improve efficiency, bridging the gender gap amongst other case studies. Along the way, they have met their fair share of challenges, but it’s the dedication that pushed them to break the glass ceiling and make the change. Each country has youth championing agriculture, with some being well documented, hence challenges faced may not be similar. Access to financial support, bureaucracy/red tape, lack of access to land, lack of collateral, market challenges, and lack of sufficient business knowledge have been cited as main barriers for youth to fully engage in agriculture.
As the world came to a standstill, coming to terms with the Covid-19 pandemic, this has adversely impacted on agricultural food systems, dampening some hopes of truly transforming the face of agriculture.