FAO.org

In the framework of the FAO project Building resilience in the Sahel Region through job creation for youth, financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), different employment schemes have been initiated in Mauritania, in collaboration with the Government. The objective of such employment schemes is to create in the short and medium to long term, opportunities for youth to enhance their capacities, while strengthening their small agribusinesses.

While the short-term employment scheme aims at providing quick gains to rural youth residing in territories which had been assessed by the Mauritanian Government as 'at risk,' the long-term one targets young people who have their own small agribusinesses and wish to strengthen their activities, so to also possibly create in the future further employment opportunities for their peers.

As part of the long-term employment scheme, different initiatives have been implemented with various national partners, strengthening the capacities of 510 direct beneficiaries, of which, 390 youth (50:50 gender ratio) and 120 Government facilitators from nine regions of Mauritania: Assaba, Brakna, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Garbi, Gorgol, Guidimakha, Tagant, Trarza as well as Nouakchott.

Among the various national collaborations within the long-term employment scheme, the one with the Mauritanian employment agency (TECHGHIL) allowed the successful piloting of interesting actions in remote areas of the Brakna, Trarza and Gorgol regions.

For example, a six-month incubation programme for young entrepreneurs has been initiated at the TECHGHIL incubator of Boghé, with the aim of stimulating and accelerating their green jobs activities. Further to the incubation, the young agripreneurs will continue to be supported and followed via a mentoring phase for an additional six months.

Furthermore, thanks to the project, the outreach of TECHGHIL has been extended to remote rural areas, via mobile employment desks in Bakaw, in the Brakna region, in Garak, in the Trarza region, and Rindiaw, in the Gorgol region. The mobile employment desks were launched in order to raise young people's awareness on green job opportunities in their regions and promote local trainings and support in registering to their labour-placement platform.

Jointly with TECHGHIL, job and knowledge sharing fairs were also organized, with the main objectives of (i) creating forums for exchanges between young incubated entrepreneurs and local stakeholders, like private investors, microfinance institutions and agricultural entrepreneurs; (ii) promoting entrepreneurship, particularly for young people and women; and (iii) identifying solutions for sustainable development to facilitate responsible investment in the green economy.

Overall, the collaboration between FAO and TECHGHIL helped youth cooperatives and young agripreneurs promote healthy and culturally appropriate food, produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, contributing to strengthen food sovereignty at local level.