fao 28th regional conference for africa - african youth in agriculture

ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development

Definitions of Youth


FAO 28th Regional Conference for Africa24 – 28 March 2014, Tunis (Tunisia)

AFRICAN YOUTH IN AGRIBUSINESS AND RURAL

DEVELOPMENT


Outline•Introduction and Context•Challenges and Potential •FAO’s Comparative Advantage •Key Matters to be brought to the Attention of the Conference


Context: Is Africa’s situation Unique?

19.4

11 Million Young African’s

will join the labour market each year for the next 10

yearsSource: World Bank: 2014

Rural Youth

Source: UNDESA, World Population Prospects 2012


Context: A Window of Opportunity

Agriculture is a key source of employment creationAgriculture is a key source of employment creation

Rural poverty, and slow agricultural growth persists

Source: World Bank 2014

ECONOMIC GROWTH

YOUTHFUL POPULATION

Inadequate formal job creation: Over 80% work in the informal sector

Source: MDG Report 2013 & UN-HABITAT 2012

Progress, but not sufficient: In 2010, 48% of population lived on less than $1.25 day

Urban Poverty: 60% of SSA ‘s urban population live in slums conditions

Not AttractiveAgriculture

GROWING AGRICULTURE

SECTOR

Slow Economic Transformation: 50 – 70% still depend on Agriculture


Challenges & Options: Can we afford to continue the “youth not interested” narrative?

65% : below 35 years

Ageing Farming

Population

WHO?

We are NOT moving away from other priorities (smallholders, women) but ADAPT to the WHO!

Life Expectancy

at Birth

Employment Challenge

Threat to Agricultural and Rural Development

Productive and Profitable Agriculture -------> Youth

Enhancing agricultural productivity

Education Agri-Business Opportunities

US$1 Trillion Food market by 2030

Source: World Bank 2014

Private Sector Investments, Synergies

Investment in Youth Capacity, Access to Productive Resources etc

“youth not interested”


Challenges & Options: Which Approach?

Youth employment need to be mainstreamed into the overall agricultural and rural development policies, strategies and programmes


FAO’s Comparative Advantage

Youth capacity development (technical, advocacy, and entrepreneurial skills) – Junior Farmer Field and Life School JFFLS

Inclusive Agribusiness, value chain development.

International policy dialogues and partnerships on investments in agriculture sector

Technical Assistance on developing Youth Employment in Agriculture Policies and Programmes

Knowledge generation and cross-country experience sharing


Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools (JFFLS) interventions in 15 African countries

FAO’s Comparative Advantage: Examples


In partnership with development partners, Governments must:

Accelerate implementation of Maputo Declaration.

Improve the business climate for private sector and foster public-private partnerships (PPP’s) to provide opportunities for bringing together large and small actors and capture synergies with small producers and processors, especially women and youth

Mainstream Youth Employment into the overall agricultural and rural development policies, strategies and programmes.

Dedicate investments for youth employment within agricultural and rural development programmes (youth agro-SME’s, access to productive resources, in particular finance and land, youth entrepreneurship and capacity, youth participation in PO’s, FBO’s etc)

Matters for Attention of the Conference:


Let's Invest in our young people!

THANK YOU!