Transcript Youth and Agriculture

Youth, Agriculture and Rural
Development in Developing
countries/ACP regions
John Omiti
Nancy Laibuni
Simon Githuku
[email protected]
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Definition of Youth
 Age (15-35 years)
 Differences across regions
– Political Importance [‘leaders of tomorrow’]
– Cultural aspects (Gender, Marriage)
– Unemployment // Wealth Gaps
– Emerging issues (ICT, Migration)
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African Youth - Demographics
 Large share of youth in population (youth bulge)
 70 % is aged below 25 years (200 million)
 37% of the total labor force
 Youth unemployment rate (2009)
- North Africa ≈ 24 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa ≈ 50-60?
 Unskilled youth = (25 - 50 %)
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Caribbean Youth - Demographics
10%
50%
40%
20 - 25 yrs
18 - 20 yrs
25 - 30 yrs
50%
 Literacy levels: 1990 ≈ 92%; 2009 ≈ 97%
 Unemployment ≈ 40 - 60% (except Barbados)
 20 - 30% of the labour force
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Pacific Youth - Demographics
 20% of working population
 Youth unemployment high:
 Kiribati ≈ 39%
 Samoa ≈ 58%
 Solomon Islands ≈ 42 %
 Tonga ≈ 43 %
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Key Issues
 Rural poverty
 Migration of the youth:
 Urban areas
 Overseas (OECD)
 High levels of unemployment/underemployment
 Deferred plans [e.g., investments, marriage]
 Ageing farm populations [future of agriculture]
 Youth bulge (social unrest)
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Youth are key agents
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Social change
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Access to higher and innovative education
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Culture (music, arts, etc)
Economic development
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Broad range of opportunities
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Access to physical and financial resources
Technological innovation
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dynamic conditions to incubate ideas and innovate
Political Change
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Involving Youth in Agriculture
 Africa
 Average age of farmer ≈ 55 years
 Average life expectancy ≈ 49-54 years
 Caribbean
 Average age of farmers ≈ 55 years
 Average life expectancy ≈ 65-70 years
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Why interest youth in Agriculture
 Public Perceptions [‘grow own food’]
 Self Reliance and Self Sufficiency
 Building Human Resource Base
 Political goodwill and Investments
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Youth perceptions towards Agriculture
Generally negative youth perceptions with
respect to participation in agriculture
• Not perceived as a viable business initiative
• Employer of last resort (urban-rural youth)
• Not an attractive career path
• offers no opportunity for a better life
• Not appealing - no prestige (status) regardless
of the economic outcomes.
Youth and ICT
 ICT is attractive to the youth
 ICT applications (software) – forecast e.g.
weather patterns, precision farming, etc.
 Managing agricultural information datacreating agricultural databases, payment
systems, marketing, price trends, satellitebased insurance, etc.
 ICT is dynamic and challenging
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Youth and Agribusiness – value chain
Factors that limit youth participation in agribusiness:
 Limited market information
 Inability to access credit
 Inadequate training
 Skills mis-match
 Low profitability associated with agrienterprises
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Ways to engage youth in agriculture
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Demystifying the negative myths about agriculture
Presenting agriculture as a profitable venture
Availing special agriculture funding for youth
Providing incentives to young people engaged in
agriculture
Preferential treatment for young farmers e.g. water
levy, taxation laxity
Availing fair market opportunities for youth
Modernizing agriculture
Providing training opportunities in new technologies
Ways to engage youth in agriculture
• Recognition and supporting young graduates as
potential employees within the agribusiness
sector
• Support youth in establishing and managing a
youth network in agriculture
• Include youth in policy decision making and
implementation
• Agriculture in Education system since primary
level
Policy Suggestions
 Employment
 Employability
 Addressing Technical Skills Mis-matches
 Addressing Non-Technical Skills Mismatches (skills
development)
 Employment Creation: Address slow job/career growth
 Equal Opportunities: Addressing youth-discrimination /
deficiencies in the labour market and Inadequate Job
Matching
 Facilitating Entrepreneurship
 Business Development Services (BDS) + Futures Markets
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Policy Suggestions
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Agri-Business Innovations
 Package technology for young farmers
 Green house farming
 Grafting of fruits / vegetables
 Use integrated and multifunctional
business approach
 Targets young farmers
 Use Mobile phones for recordings,
management, etc
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..Young Original Unique Talented Hopeful.
our YOUTH
Thank You!
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