Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

This member contributed to:

    • 1. What are the biggest challenges youth in Africa face after going through youth-specific capacity development initiatives in agriculture?

      The biggest challenge youth face in Africa even after going through youth-specific capacity development initiatives is failure to participate productively in agriculture either as investors or just workers/employees.

      In terms of investments, youth are limited by access to affordable finance. Generally in Africa, the bank lending rates are too high which young people cannot afford. In Uganda for instance, the average lending rates for commercial banks is 23% p.a , the highest can even reach 30% p.a. This is really very high for any one intending to invest in agriculture especially with the high risks involved.

      I agree with many colleagues who mentioned limited access to land as a key challenge. Yes to some extent but emphasis should focus on enhancing youth access to affordable finance. Once youth have access to funds and given good guidance and appropriate skills, they can invest appropriately in agriculture. Besides, investment in agriculture does not only require land. In circumstances where land is inaccessible, youth such as the urban dwellers and those living in the refugee areas can invest at the upper end of the value chain such as processing/value addition and marketing among others.

      In line with finances and the law, some categories of youth are still limited by exiting laws that hinder them from accessing finances. For instance, youth less than 18 years of age in Uganda even if they are above the legal working age of 14 years are assumed to be in schools. They are not legally authorized to contract or be contracted and cannot open up bank accounts unless authorized through a next of kin. On the other hand, youth in the age category 18-30 years who legally qualify to transact and open bank accounts are limited by the need for collateral such as land which most youth lack.

      Further, there is lack of mentorship and continuous supervision. In Africa, many initiatives aim at training masses of youth without making follow-up on youth  for proper mentorship. To ensure sustainability and cause impact, youth need to be mentored and continuously supervised even after going through youth-specific capacity development initiatives

      Lastly, many capacity development initiatives aim at building capacity of youth to acquire skills to enable them get jobs with less attention on working conditions of youth in agriculture. Therefore youth employees in agriculture continue to work under poor and hazardous conditions. There is need to blend skills development with awareness campaigns on the rights of youth employees for their health and safety.

      2. What are the examples of existing post-capacity development sustainability initiatives for youth in agriculture in Africa? What works and what does not? Are there any success stories and good practices that can be shared?

      What works? Continuous mentorship, support and guidance of youth guarantees sustainability. Blending successful individual youth with others youth facilitates knowledge sharing and learning. Let me focus my contribution to the FAO youth rewarding mechanism in Uganda known as the youth champions in Agriculture. This initiative entails identification of young entrepreneurs who have developed cutting-edge innovations in agricultural value chain and using them to act as roles models to inspire and build the capacity of their fellow youth. The approach entails using nuclear youth champions as hubs where youth can form groups around the champions for continuous learning/knowledge sharing, collective bargaining and negotiations for better policies among others. Sustainability is ensured because the nuclear champions already have passion for working in groups and supporting communities. The champions also act as mentors to other youth.

      3. What post-capacity development support do the youth need? What can the youth do to support each other in developing their skills and capacities?

      Youth need continuous mentorship and linking them to financial service providers and better markets. Through youth platforms especially with the current ICT facilities and innovations, youth can support others through information gathering and sharing, advocacy and mentorship.

      4. What enabling environment is needed to ensure sustainability of youth in agriculture capacity development initiatives?

      Policy support should facilitate mainstreaming of agriculture and skills development for agriculture in primary and secondary schools curricula. There is also a need to target youth agricultural entrepreneurs to access agribusiness incubation services. This may involve training youth in farming as a business and identifying linkages to agribusiness incubators and financing.

      There is however a need to develop and equip research and training institutions in a PPP approach between government and private sector and then linking youth to these institutions for youth incubation and mentorship. In Uganda, government through the National Strategy for youth employment in Agriculture recommends supporting establishment, nurturing of mentoring approaches for all youth categories including provision of start-up support to the 14-17 young persons to complete informal trainings combined with sustained mentoring and coaching.

      5. Is there a role for modern technologies, including Information and Communication Technologies, in sustaining capacity development initiatives?

      Modern technologies play an important role in facilitating learning and information sharing. Youth can easily adapt and use technologies and ICT facilities to enhance and complement the existing extenstion services required at different levels of the vaue chain.  In Uganda, the FAO youth champions started a whatsup platform where they share information related to their innovations including production and marketing information.