This archive report was first published on 30 August 2019.
As the world's most youthful continent, Africa has a unique opportunity to harness the energy and creativity of its young people to drive agricultural growth and development.
However, the average age of farmers in Africa is 60 years, and many young people are deterred from pursuing careers in agriculture due to its perceived unattractiveness and the numerous hurdles they face along the food-value chains.
With over 60% of its estimated 1.2 billion people under the age of 25, Africa is facing a significant youth unemployment challenge. The continent's economies are not creating sufficient jobs to cater for the increasing number of new labour market entrants, making it essential to explore alternative sources of employment.
Agriculture is one of the most critical sectors that can provide employment opportunities, but a majority of the youth are moving away from the agricultural sector to fast-growing non-agricultural sectors in urban areas.
At a recent meeting held in Durban, South Africa, under the auspices of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the need for better communication and stronger partnerships between different actors, including the UN, governments, and the media, was emphasized as key to increasing youth engagement in agriculture.
With the right investment, agriculture can provide millions of jobs for the unemployed and underemployed youth. Africa has an enormous opportunity to expand into a variety of agro and food processing and value-addition activities.
As President Paul Kagame of Rwanda once pointed out, there is a need for a rapid shift in the mind-set of our young people towards agriculture as a career choice. With the knowledge and technology available, there has never been a better time for young Africans to get involved in agriculture and agribusiness, and create wealth and well-being for society as a whole.
