Denting youth unemployment through agriculture | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

Agriculture is not glamorous. It suffers from entrenched negative perceptions. In the minds of many African youths, a farmer is someone like their parents, doing backbreaking labour in the fields and getting little to show for it. Nonetheless, agriculture is the engine driving many African economies. If it were to get the same political support and financial investment as the mining sector, agriculture would be capable of providing more decent jobs and filling millions more stomachs with nutritious meals.

Fast-growing economies that can cut poverty and create meaningful jobs, particularly for youths, require political will from leaders and huge injections of investment in agriculture, according to Professor Mandivamba Rukuni, a Zimbabwean researcher and land policy analyst. “Africa is still on average 60% rural in population. The African Union has defined the immediate future around agriculture as the main force in social and economic transformation of the continent,” says Professor Rukuni, who has published widely on African agriculture.

Africa’s lack of competitiveness in agriculture is a drag on efforts to boost employment in this sector. Professor Rukuni describes competitiveness as involving “what the government is prepared to do to support its producers to gain access to their markets.” His solutions include boosting rural development through a chain of activities that add value to agricultural products, providing necessary infrastructure to stem urban migration and empowering women and youths to run small businesses.

In a 2013 report, Agriculture as a Sector of Opportunity for Young People in Africa, the World Bank added its voice to data by other organizations showing that agriculture is Africa’s largest employer and has the potential to absorb millions of new job seekers. According to the report, increased focus on agriculture could enhance productivity, reduce food prices, increase incomes and create employment. Young people’s involvement in this process is crucial.

A robust agricultural sector is necessary for sustained economic growth and high-paying jobs in Africa, according to the International Labour Organization. Making it a reality is a major task for the next 10 to 20 years.

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