guled_ismael_23595 | Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Mr. Guled Ismael

Save the Children International

Ethiopia

16.01.2021

Food Equity, Equality and Democracy (FEED) and Lucha Lunako have collaborated on this contribution, bringing together insights around the food system and youth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This intersection of work is auspicious in light of each of the organisations’ focal areas and the publication of ‘Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems’ V0 at this time, and this contribution aims to provide a relevant and unique perspective of SSA. Where possible, the team provides references to research and case studies though there is clearly scope for more development of African praxis.

On framing youth engagement and employment in AFS

Rights, agency and equity are foundational to transforming the ways youth interact with and access AFS. Although it is implied in other sections of the report (and perhaps under equity), the contribution team advocates for the explicit inclusion of a further pillar: support. Unless support is viewed as a core component of transformation, the onus is perhaps unfairly placed on youth creating and sustaining their opportunities in a flawed system where a scarcity mindset and survivalism are rife. Youth require lowered barriers to entry, resources and curated toolkits to be able to meaningfully participate in AFS – this is recognised and being addressed in South Africa through the development of a Basic Package of Support for Youth, as an example.

Equity itself also requires some further interrogation: having a stake in something suggests a share in both risks and rewards. To what extent does the report team envision unpacking these dimensions?

An umbrella suggestion for the report is to focus on AFS value chains: without this approach, AFS activities appear to occur within a vacuum. How will the new policies and other interventions link to on-the-ground realities and economies? A recent case study provides a useful construct of ‘value network embeddedness’ to illustrate the ways youth interact with and within sustainable food systems in Uganda.

Trends for youth engagement and employment in AFS

While the report team has data on where youth jobs are concentrated within AFS, the contribution team suggests undertaking research to understand the other ways youth are engaging in the sector (i.e. broadening the scope beyond employment to include entrepreneurship, gig work, studies and so forth).

Taking South Africa as an example, a high number of youth attain their primary income through learnerships, internships and work-integrated-learning programmes across industries. Due to the stagnant economy and low labour market absorption rate, many youth turn to side ‘hustles’ during or post these experiences to supplement or attempt to replace their income. In urban and peri-urban settings, youth can be observed selling primary or secondary food goods (e.g. snacks, hot food) or freelancing for food delivery services (such as Uber Eats). The report touches on the transient nature of youth’s lives and work but the gig economy is not necessarily analysed in V0.

Youth perceptions and knowledge of AFS

Though a growing number of youth in South Africa are interested in agriculture in particular, it is not perceived as a viable career path due to poor working conditions, subsistence pay, manual labour, the perception that it is geared either for the poor and the elderly or for the very wealthy. Peer pressure, racism and family shaming all factor into low youth engagement in agriculture. This is especially so for migrant youth, who don’t have access to social capital or other resources.

Older generations from indigenous backgrounds are however beginning to champion traditional knowledge and foods and increasing numbers of young people are joining in the conversation, which could potentially be attributed to the mainstreaming of ‘decoloniality’ following waves of youth-led protests in recent years. Recent research considers the diverse ways in which youth engage with rural economies, which offers a valuable lens through which to consider youth in their dual roles as urban-rural citizens.

Despite ongoing issues with digital penetration in peri-urban and rural areas in South Africa (and prohibitively expensive data throughout the country), youth are still highly engaged in online platforms and social media and are susceptible to both constructive and destructive forms of perception manipulation (As shown in a recent youth poll by Lucha Lunako, 36% of youth in South Africa obtain information about Covid-19 from social media sources). Social media (and other online platforms) is therefore a key enablement tool in developing youth engagement in AFS, coupled with traditional knowledge content and practices as well as other educational channels (such as school/university/college curricula*, training courses etc.). These tactics form part of AFS advocacy efforts, which are clearly necessary to shift youth perceptions and to incite hope and excitement around this sector.

The contribution teams favours an integrated, holistic approach which incorporates social enterprise concepts and policy across government, academic departments and other institutions to embed the AFS in a framework conducive to equity, agency and rights. The development of a robust country action plan underpinned by ongoing participatory methodologies (for example involving youth in collecting, analysing and sharing their own data to augment M&E processes ) would catalyse these efforts. The theory and practice of Positive Youth Development provides a useful way of construing youth as active agents in their own destinies and in shaping their local and global communities.

In addition to knowledge and perception enhancement interventions, youth require tangible pathways to sustainable livelihoods in AFS: South Africa has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world, including youth who persist in looking for work as well as those who have simply given up hope. Youth job creation/enablement continues to be highly topical and complex and it cannot be ignored in the context of the report and related activities. If the benefits to youth participating in the AFS are not clearly articulated, youth will disengage. Part of the work is in changing public opinion around work in the AFS, in that it can be decent, meaningful and fulfilling.

*An example of an impactful youth agribusiness training and innovation model can be found in a Ugandan case study: The Student Enterprise Scheme for Agribusiness Innovation: A University-based Training Model for Nurturing Entrepreneurial mind-sets amongst African Youths

Resourcing youth in AFS

The adage of Africa’s agricultural potential exists due to volumes of vacant land, labour supply and demand for food. With some exceptions (such as Zimbabwe’s land reform policies) land availability, ownership and quality remains deeply unequal across the continent thus that potential is currently not being realised. South Africa’s own land restitution/redistribution programmes have largely failed (i.e. land has become less productive in many cases, and the administrative/legislative instruments lack sufficient capacity to process claims in a timely manner). There is clearly a need to think about land and other resources differently, in an effort to give youth in AFS every chance of success. Innovations in this space should be grounded in climate justice and the SDGs.

Some case studies illustrate how government programmes can directly impact youth development in agriculture, such as the Nigerian government’s GESS (Growth Enhancement Support Scheme – designed to subsidise agricultural inputs). At an institutional level, there is a question mark around how/if legacy institutions can serve youth in AFS and where disruption is needed and new bodies need to be formed. The report in its current version does not specifically advocate for co-operation, however the contribution teams believes this is integral at all levels of enabling youth engagement in the AFS: synchronisation and collaboration will be key in leveraging resources and enabling the multiplier effects that can come from these principles-in-action. It is however acknowledged that there are insufficient ‘success stories’ at present, meaning there is further work to be done in piloting impactful solutions.

Another study interrogating youth in agribusiness in Africa sheds light on some of the achievements, limitations and lessions learnt. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3669694 

This member contributed to:

Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems - HLPE consultation on the V0 draft of the report

Consultation
01.12.2020 - 24.01.2021
- Mr. Guled Ismael
  
  Save the Children International
  
  Ethiopia
  
  16.01.2021
  
  Food Equity, Equality and Democracy (FEED) and Lucha Lunako have collaborated on this contribution, bringing together insights around the food system and youth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This intersection of work is auspicious in light of each of the organisations’ focal areas and the publication of ‘Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems’ V0 at this time, and this contribution aims to provide a relevant and unique perspective of SSA. Where possible, the team provides references to research and case studies though there is clearly scope for more development of African praxis.
  
  On framing youth engagement and employment in AFS
  
  Rights, agency and equity are foundational to transforming the ways youth interact with and access AFS. Although it is implied in other sections of the report (and perhaps under equity), the contribution team advocates for the explicit inclusion of a further pillar: support. Unless support is viewed as a core component of transformation, the onus is perhaps unfairly placed on youth creating and sustaining their opportunities in a flawed system where a scarcity mindset and survivalism are rife. Youth require lowered barriers to entry, resources and curated toolkits to be able to meaningfully participate in AFS – this is recognised and being addressed in South Africa through the development of a Basic Package of Support for Youth, as an example.
  
  Equity itself also requires some further interrogation: having a stake in something suggests a share in both risks and rewards. To what extent does the report team envision unpacking these dimensions?
  
  An umbrella suggestion for the report is to focus on AFS value chains: without this approach, AFS activities appear to occur within a vacuum. How will the new policies and other interventions link to on-the-ground realities and economies? A recent case study provides a useful construct of ‘value network embeddedness’ to illustrate the ways youth interact with and within sustainable food systems in Uganda.
  
  Trends for youth engagement and employment in AFS
  
  While the report team has data on where youth jobs are concentrated within AFS, the contribution team suggests undertaking research to understand the other ways youth are engaging in the sector (i.e. broadening the scope beyond employment to include entrepreneurship, gig work, studies and so forth).
  
  Taking South Africa as an example, a high number of youth attain their primary income through learnerships, internships and work-integrated-learning programmes across industries. Due to the stagnant economy and low labour market absorption rate, many youth turn to side ‘hustles’ during or post these experiences to supplement or attempt to replace their income. In urban and peri-urban settings, youth can be observed selling primary or secondary food goods (e.g. snacks, hot food) or freelancing for food delivery services (such as Uber Eats). The report touches on the transient nature of youth’s lives and work but the gig economy is not necessarily analysed in V0.
  
  Youth perceptions and knowledge of AFS
  
  Though a growing number of youth in South Africa are interested in agriculture in particular, it is not perceived as a viable career path due to poor working conditions, subsistence pay, manual labour, the perception that it is geared either for the poor and the elderly or for the very wealthy. Peer pressure, racism and family shaming all factor into low youth engagement in agriculture. This is especially so for migrant youth, who don’t have access to social capital or other resources.
  
  Older generations from indigenous backgrounds are however beginning to champion traditional knowledge and foods and increasing numbers of young people are joining in the conversation, which could potentially be attributed to the mainstreaming of ‘decoloniality’ following waves of youth-led protests in recent years. Recent research considers the diverse ways in which youth engage with rural economies, which offers a valuable lens through which to consider youth in their dual roles as urban-rural citizens.
  
  Despite ongoing issues with digital penetration in peri-urban and rural areas in South Africa (and prohibitively expensive data throughout the country), youth are still highly engaged in online platforms and social media and are susceptible to both constructive and destructive forms of perception manipulation (As shown in a recent youth poll by Lucha Lunako, 36% of youth in South Africa obtain information about Covid-19 from social media sources). Social media (and other online platforms) is therefore a key enablement tool in developing youth engagement in AFS, coupled with traditional knowledge content and practices as well as other educational channels (such as school/university/college curricula*, training courses etc.). These tactics form part of AFS advocacy efforts, which are clearly necessary to shift youth perceptions and to incite hope and excitement around this sector.
  
  The contribution teams favours an integrated, holistic approach which incorporates social enterprise concepts and policy across government, academic departments and other institutions to embed the AFS in a framework conducive to equity, agency and rights. The development of a robust country action plan underpinned by ongoing participatory methodologies (for example involving youth in collecting, analysing and sharing their own data to augment M&E processes ) would catalyse these efforts. The theory and practice of Positive Youth Development provides a useful way of construing youth as active agents in their own destinies and in shaping their local and global communities.
  
  In addition to knowledge and perception enhancement interventions, youth require tangible pathways to sustainable livelihoods in AFS: South Africa has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world, including youth who persist in looking for work as well as those who have simply given up hope. Youth job creation/enablement continues to be highly topical and complex and it cannot be ignored in the context of the report and related activities. If the benefits to youth participating in the AFS are not clearly articulated, youth will disengage. Part of the work is in changing public opinion around work in the AFS, in that it can be decent, meaningful and fulfilling.
  
  *An example of an impactful youth agribusiness training and innovation model can be found in a Ugandan case study: The Student Enterprise Scheme for Agribusiness Innovation: A University-based Training Model for Nurturing Entrepreneurial mind-sets amongst African Youths
  
  Resourcing youth in AFS
  
  The adage of Africa’s agricultural potential exists due to volumes of vacant land, labour supply and demand for food. With some exceptions (such as Zimbabwe’s land reform policies) land availability, ownership and quality remains deeply unequal across the continent thus that potential is currently not being realised. South Africa’s own land restitution/redistribution programmes have largely failed (i.e. land has become less productive in many cases, and the administrative/legislative instruments lack sufficient capacity to process claims in a timely manner). There is clearly a need to think about land and other resources differently, in an effort to give youth in AFS every chance of success. Innovations in this space should be grounded in climate justice and the SDGs.
  
  Some case studies illustrate how government programmes can directly impact youth development in agriculture, such as the Nigerian government’s GESS (Growth Enhancement Support Scheme – designed to subsidise agricultural inputs). At an institutional level, there is a question mark around how/if legacy institutions can serve youth in AFS and where disruption is needed and new bodies need to be formed. The report in its current version does not specifically advocate for co-operation, however the contribution teams believes this is integral at all levels of enabling youth engagement in the AFS: synchronisation and collaboration will be key in leveraging resources and enabling the multiplier effects that can come from these principles-in-action. It is however acknowledged that there are insufficient ‘success stories’ at present, meaning there is further work to be done in piloting impactful solutions.
  
  Another study interrogating youth in agribusiness in Africa sheds light on some of the achievements, limitations and lessions learnt. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3669694 
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Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Mr. Guled Ismael

This member contributed to:

Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems - HLPE consultation on the V0 draft of the report

Mr. Guled Ismael