1. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
Definitions of Youth

2. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
FAO 28th
Regional Conference for Africa
24 – 28 March 2014, Tunis (Tunisia)
AFRICAN YOUTH IN AGRIBUSINESS
AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

3. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture 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

4. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
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

5. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
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

6. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
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”

7. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
Challenges & Options: Which Approach?
 Youth employment need to be mainstreamed into the overall agricultural and rural
development policies, strategies and programmes

8. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
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

9. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
Junior Farmer Field and Life
Schools (JFFLS) interventions
in 15 African countries
FAO’s Comparative Advantage: Examples

10. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
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:

11. ARC-28 African Youth In Agriculture and Rural Development
Let's Invest in our young people!
THANK YOU!