YOUTH – FEEDING THE FUTURE
This online consultation is a great initiative for us to ponder, brainstorm and discuss about ‘rural youth’ as agents to reduce poverty and improve food security, in the future. The theme is very encouraging and optimistic, as it puts youths to the forefront as ‘future of food security and rural poverty reduction’.
Tuvalu (26 km ²) has eight small islands – the smallest independent island in the world. It has a population of 11,000 people. About 34% of the Tuvalu’s population is youth. About 49% of youths are unemployed. The biggest concern now in Tuvalu is the high unemployment rate of youths. Funafuti Island – the capital island – is the only island in Tuvalu that we labeled it as urban, while the other seven islands are labeled as rural. Tuvalu does not have data to indicate the total number for 15-17 years old (youth) who are on the outer-islands and do not go to secondary school. In fact, Tuvalu has only one public secondary school, which is located on the outer—island (rural). It is a compulsory boarding school. The other secondary school is on the capital island (urban) – a church and day school. However, and of course, there are a few youth (15-17 years old) who have dropped out from school and now living on the outer-islands (rural).
These few ones in the outer-islands are not our big concern now in Tuvalu. We are more concerned of those youths (15-17 years old) who are now living in Funafuti Island (urban). This is because the youth at outer-islands do live on the land; they learn the island way of living; they fish; they farm; and they participate in communal works/festivities, as they live closer to their parents and attach more to the land. I am not saying that these youth are living as pure and full law abiding islanders. Of course, these youths sometimes join activities such as drinking-alcohol spree that disturb the peacefulness of the rural community. However, I know that what we need now is a policy or set of strategic plans that enhance rural youth to attach more with their land, ancestors and cultures.
It is helpful if family-heads (matai) are aware and understand of the connection/linkage between youth and food security in the future. Some youth (mainly distant relatives of the matai, and girls) do not have equal access to land. However, if matais understand the importance of food security in the future, then they (matais)would be able to work together with the nieces and nephews (youth) on ways that their land are fully utilize to produce enough food and money, in the future.
The youths’ lack of knowledge to cultivate land is something to be considered. This is a problem to many youth. They have lands but the knowledge to work on the infertile soil of Tuvalu is lacked. Note that Tuvalu’s land is known of its porosity, infertility and vulnerability to climate change phenomenon). Families with traditional (secret) planting skills are known in the community for having the largest cultural crops, such as taro (Colocasia esculenta) & pulaka (Cytosperma chamissonis). A policy or program for these families to teach youth on how to plant better will motivate these youths to toil on a land (soil) that is not promising. Many youths do not like to work on their cultural crops plantations because it requires hard work, much effort and techniques to produce reasonable size crops. A fair knowledge on how to plant and produce good size crops will definitely motivate youths to attach more their land.
The integration of agriculture science in primary school in Tuvalu is also something that concerned ministries do need to be considered. This is one way that may enhance Tuvaluan youth, from young ages, to value their land and food production. They can be motivated to find green jobs.
Setting up an Agricultural vocational school (by the Agriculture Department in partnership with Education Department), whereby only Agricultural practical courses are run. Only the ‘hands on’ basics (competencies) are taught to the interested youth – which they will learn about modern (and also traditional) techniques/ways of growing various crops and vegetables; livestock farming; poultry raising; and others. This is one way to pull in the unemployed youth to engage with agriculture.
All in all, in Tuvalu, the youth (15-17 years old) do not pose a significant problem to the society as only a few youth (at that age group) are living in the outer-islands (rural). However, we can always help these few youth, by providing them with doors that they can enter to get a better future. Though Tuvalu is different from many other countries due to its islandness, the aim to engage youth with their land, families and future is a general intention for all countries. The Agriculture Department does realize that it has a responsibility to these youth to prepare them for a better future.
Sam Panapa