Challenges Faced by Youth in Agriculture in Africa.

Introduction

Although Africa’s Agriculture is characterized by 65% of labour force with the sector accounting for 32% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than 239 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live in hunger. Owing to this increasing challenge of food insecurity in Africa, the continent spends between US$15 and US$20,000 on food import annually, with an increasing level of reliance on food aid to augment its annual food production.

Following the increasing threat of food insecurity in Africa, African countries ought to exercise a greater level of commitment in developing a vibrant youth in Agriculture sector to enable the youth actively engage in Agriculture to promote the continents accelerated Agricultural development. The active engagement of the youth in Agriculture will ensure the  easy adoption of modern Agricultural technologies, the practice of  good farm management, effective  adoption of ICT4Ag applications, develop and manage viable Agribusinesses, effectively engage in Agricultural value chain processes etc.

Commitment by African countries in developing an efficient youth in Agriculture sector should therefore among other initiatives work towards addressing the peculiar challenges that the young African farmer face in their quest to establish viable Agribusiness enterprises for increased Agricultural production.

With years of experience as a leading Young Farmer Network in Ghana with extensive working experience in other African countries, the Savannah Young Farmers Network (SavaNet) has identified the following as the challenges faced by youth engaged in Agriculture in Africa:

Challenges Faced by Youth in Agriculture in Africa

Inadequate youth in Agriculture policies: Agricultural policies are vital in Agricultural development as they serve as the drivers of change towards achieving the desired impact. The poor level of commitment by African countries in implementing strategic youth in Agriculture policies militate against the development of an efficient youth in Agriculture sector for the continents accelerated Agricultural development.

The implementation of strategic youth in Agriculture policies are relevant in instituting the needed structures to provide the youth of Africa a suitable platform to actively engage in Agriculture as a sustainable livelihood for the creation of viable Agribusiness enterprises across the Agricultural value chain.

Interventions geared towards the formulation and implementation of youth in Agriculture policies should take in to consideration the development of Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) in order to raise a youthful farmer generation that do not depend on “Handouts” from governments to enable them engage in Agriculture.

Following the important role that youth in Agriculture policies play in developing a vibrant youth in Agriculture sector, it is essential that African governments avoid formulating generic Agricultural policies where the peculiar challenges militating against the active engagement of the youth in Agriculture are not effectively addressed.

The Savannah Young Framers Network (SavaNet) therefore calls on African countries to exercise a greater level of commitment in implementing strategic youth in Agriculture policies to propel the continent’s accelerated Agricultural development.

Undeveloped Agricultural value chains: Agricultural value chains are well structured and coordinated relationships/networks between stakeholders in the Agricultural industry that   strengthens the needed structures for accelerated Agricultural development.

Agriculture value chains therefore play a vital role in Agriculture development as they to  a large extend ensure a healthy Public Private Partnerships for the development of Agricultural value chains that ensure improved access to Agricultural inputs and services for increased Agricultural production.

Undeveloped Agriculture value chains in most African countries is therefore a major challenge to the development of successful Agribusinesses by young Agricultural entrepreneurs as they are not able to effectively coordinate with other Agriculture value chain actors to enable them access the needed inputs and  services for efficient Agribusiness development.

Commitment by African countries in developing well structured Agriculture value chains will therefore provide the young Agricultural entrepreneur with improved access to: Agro inputs, Agricultural mechanization services, Agricultural financing, Agricultural Extension Services, Agricultural Research Innovations, transport services, improved Agricultural market access etc.

The development of efficient Agriculture value chains in Africa will enable the African youth actively engage in Agriculture to augment the efforts of Africa’s aging farmer population in order to increase Agricultural production for a secured food security.

Inadequate practically oriented Agriculture training schemes for young Agricultural entrepreneurs: the introduction of modern Agricultural innovations has over the years changed the farming systems passed on from generations. Owing to the increasing influence of modern Agricultural practices, it is important to offer the young African farmer practically oriented Agricultural training to better position them to become successful Agricultural entrepreneurs.

However, the current challenge of inadequate access to practically oriented Agricultural training has resulted in the inability of the African youth to actively engage in Agriculture as a sustainable livelihood due to their lack of practical skills and knowledge in Agriculture.

The challenge has also resulted in many unsuccessful Agribusiness start up’s by the African youth thereby discouraging many young African Agricultural entrepreneurs in actively engaging in Agriculture as a business; with many branding the sector as an industry with less opportunities to become successful.

Following the impact of this  challenge to Agricultural development in Africa, it is important for African countries to implement practically oriented Agricultural training schemes for the African youth that equips them with the requisite knowledge and skills to actively engage in Agriculture as a sustainable livelihood.

Cutting edge interventions in this regard should include the establishment of young farmer Agricultural training stations to provide practically oriented Agricultural training to the African youth. Practical Agricultural training at these stations should include capacity development on: land selection for Agricultural production, developing farm calendars, farm budgeting,ICT4Ag,best Agronomic practices, introduction to Agricultural entomology, Agricultural value chain facilitation, Agricultural marketing, Agricultural financing, post harvest handling etc.

The commitment by African countries in addressing this challenge will better position the continent to develop a vibrant youth in Agriculture sector that is able to spearhead productivity across the Agricultural value chain.

Inadequate Financial Support Schemes for young Agricultural entrepreneurs: the challenge by many young Agricultural entrepreneurs in Africa in accessing the needed funding to adequately finance their Agricultural enterprises continues to militate against the ability of the continent’s youth to actively engage in Agriculture as a sustainable livelihood.

As a result of this challenge, many innovative Agribusiness initiatives that have the potential of transforming Africa’s Agricultural sector are not implemented; thus retarding the development of the Agricultural sector in many African countries.

Following the increasing effect of this challenge to Africa’s Agricultural development, it is essential for African countries to formulate innovative youth in Agriculture polices that ensures the implementation of young Agricultural entrepreneurs finance support schemes to provide young Agricultural entrepreneurs with the requisite funding to develop viable Agribusiness enterprises across the Agricultural value chain.

Interventions in this regard should include the establishment of a revolving fund for startup Agribusinesses, favorable lending rates for young Agricultural entrepreneurs, attractive Agribusiness insurance packages, special banking products for young Agricultural entrepreneurs, financial education etc.

The implementation of these young Agricultural entrepreneurs finance support schemes should also involve the provision of Agribusiness Development and Advisory services to support the African youth in developing successful Agribusiness plans and management strategies in order to enable them effectively utilize funds from these financial support schemes to develop viable Agribusinesses.

Commitment by African countries in this regard will promote the continent’s Agricultural development as it develops a vibrant youth in Agriculture sector to augment the efforts by Africa’s aging farmer population in increasing Agricultural production.

Inadequate Access to Agricultural land for youth engagement in Agriculture: the increasing level of land grabbing in Africa has led to a strong level of competition over the continent’s vast and fertile Agricultural land for non-Agricultural purposes.

This phenomenon has therefore resulted in inadequate access to Agriculture land for production which has become a major challenge to the African youth who are interested in engaging in Agriculture for the creation of viable Agribusinesses to curtail the surging youth unemployment in Africa.

Following the increasing effect of this challenge, it is important for African countries to take pragmatic steps in implementing innovative initiatives that improves upon access to Agricultural land by the continent’s youth to enable them actively engage in Agriculture.

Interventions in this regard should include youth in Agriculture land access policies that favour the acquisition of land by the youth for Agricultural production, the institution of favorable land credit schemes for youth in Agriculture, the development of irrigation lands with increased allocation for youth engagement in Agriculture, the protection of Agricultural land against land grabbing for non-Agricultural purposes etc.

Commitment by African countries in addressing this challenge will contribute significantly in propelling the continent’s Agricultural development, as the African youth will be able to secure the needed Agricultural land to actively engage in Agriculture as a sustainable livelihood.

Conclusion

The Savannah Young Farmers Network (SavaNet) calls on African countries to exercise a greater level of commitment in developing vibrant youth in Agriculture sectors that offers the youth with  the requisite training and resources to enable them actively engage in Agriculture as a sustainable livelihood for Africa’s accelerated Agricultural development.