THE ROLE OF YOUNG FARMERS IN SUSTAINING FAMILY FARMING FOR A SECURED FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA

INTRODUCTION

With nearly 80% of farms been family owned and managed in Sub-Saharan Africa, family farming represent a sustainable economic model of Agriculture on which most families in Africa depend on for their food security and livelihood.

Family farming in Africa also ensures the generation of features such as: functioning ecological systems, the preservation of landscapes and the sustenance of cultural heritage; thus contributing immensely in maintain the rural lifestyle of many communities in Africa.

Family farming in Africa therefore reminds the most sustainable economic model of Agriculture that has been successful in engaging the youth in farming over generations; owing to the fact that family farming is more than a professional occupation but also a reflection of lifestyle based on beliefs and traditions about life and work.

Despite the essential role that family farming play in securing Africa’s food security, it is faced with a number of challenges among which include: the difficulty in accessing resources and raw materials for production, an ageing farmer population, the lack of generational renewal, scares managerial skills, inadequate technical training, price volatility, the exclusion from relevant discussion fora affecting their livelihood etc.

The declaration of 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by the United Nations (UN), therefore represent a unique opportunity to re-launch this important and sustainable Agricultural model to ensure that it remains a key priority on the international development Agenda.

This article will therefore discuss the role of Africa’s young farmers in sustaining family farming for a secured food security. These roles include:

Engaging in family farming to ensure a generational renewal: family farming in Africa is generally practiced by the continents ageing farmer population who manages small and medium family farms that are largely characterized by poor Agricultural production. This is primarily due to their inability to judiciously manage production resources for increased Agricultural productivity.

Family farming in Africa therefore requires a generational renewal were the youth are actively engaged in family farming to promote its sustenance in order to develop functional structures and systems that enhances the relevance of family farming as a unique model of Agriculture that secures the food security of many households, communities and countries in Africa.

The engagement of Africa’s youth in family farming will promote its sustenance and development, as they will be able to adopt various innovative Agricultural technologies to increase the productivity of family farming in order to address the increasing challenge of food insecurity in Africa.

The engagement of Africa’s youth in family farming will also enable them develop family farms in to viable Agribusiness enterprises with innovative business models that enhances productivity and livelihood development to curtail the surging youth unemployment in Africa.

Furthermore, the engagement of Africa’s youth in family farming will ensure a generational renewal as the ageing farmer generation will be able to transfer family farms to the youthful generation to enable them acquire the needed production factors e.g. farm lands, Agricultural equipments etc to enable them engage in family farming as a sustainable livelihood.

The transfer of family farms to the young generation has a direct influence on the long term viability of family farms as it directly impacts on the economic, structural and social stability of family farms over time; which offers the youth with employment opportunities in order to address the increasing level of youth unemployment in Africa.

The generational renewal of family farming also strengthens it within the food supply chain as the youth will be able to effectively engage in Agricultural marketing to influence a largely direct producer-consumer marketing relationship for increased farmer profitability.

The sustenance of family farming in Africa therefore requires a generational renewal to ensure its sustained relevance as a viable economic model of Agriculture that has over the years ensured the food security of several households in Africa.

Improved Farm Management and Investment in Family Farming: family farming in Africa is generally challenged by inefficient farm management systems with less investment in to Agricultural production; thereby resulting in a growing decline in the productivity of family farms with increasing level of food  insecurity among many households in Africa.

The sustenance of family farming in Africa therefore requires the active engagement of the youth to among other things provide efficient farm management that ensures their adoption of modern Agricultural technologies and innovations, utilize ICT4Ag applications, manage family farms as  business entities with the preservation of cultural values, engage in Agricultural value chain processes etc. This will thus contribute immensely in increasing the Agricultural productivity of family farms to enhance the nutritional and food security of households and communities in Africa.

The adoption of a family based approach in family farm management by the African young farmer will enable them preserve the patrimony of family farming to reflect a professional occupation and a life style based on beliefs and traditions about living and work.

The young African farmer in managing family farms can also adopt a more entrepreneurial management system where they manage family farms as Agribusiness enterprises that ensure the production of market driven crops and animals for increased profitability.

Investment in family farming is
essential in developing
of family farming.

The commitment by the young African farmer in managing family farms should be supported with investment in developing family farms in to viable Agribusinesses that are able to increase Agricultural production to meet the subsistence and commercial food security of the many households and communities in Africa.

The commitment by the African young farmer in investing in family farming will also promote their active engagement in Agriculture in order to ensure a generational renewal in Africa’s Agricultural production to propel the continents accelerated Agricultural development.

The African young farmer therefore play an important role in the effective management of family farms and the investment in family farming, in order to sustain family farming as a successful economic model of Agriculture that has over the years secured the food security of many households and communities in Africa.

Promote Advocacy on climate change and the Adoption of climate smart Agricultural practices: The rational for family faring in Africa transcends the production of crops and animals, as it is practiced with an ecological motive that promotes environmental protection and the management/conservation of natural resources.

Family farming as an environmentally friendly Agricultural model has over the years contributed significantly in increasing Agricultural productivity, as it adopts climate smart Agricultural practices that ensures the  protection of the environment for sustainable Agricultural production.

Adapting climate smart
Agriculture practices is essential
in sustaining family farming.

As environmental stewards, the young African farmer can promote intergenerational knowledge sharing on climate change by carrying out community outreach advocacy activities to create awareness on the increasing impact of climate change on family farming.

In a bid to promote advocacy on climate change and the adoption of climate smart Agricultural practices, the Savannah Young Farmers Network (SavaNet) implements the Savannah climate smart Agriculture project in Ghana.

The project seeks to provide Agricultural advisory service on climate change adaptive Agricultural practices, community advocacy on climate change, the training of community climate change advocacy volunteers etc.

The sustenance of family farming in Africa therefore requires the continents young farmers to promote Advocacy on climate change and the adoption of climate smart Agricultural practices in order to ensure sustainable Agricultural production for a secured food security in Africa.

CONCLUSION

The African young farmer therefore play an important role in sustaining family farming as a viable economic model of Agriculture; which has over the years contributed significantly in securing the food security of many households and communities in Africa.

The declaration of 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by the United Nations (UN) therefore presents a unique opportunity for African governments to reposition family farming at the centre of their Agricultural, Environmental and Social policies in order to sustain its relevance in accelerating Africa’s Agricultural development.