TO FARM OR NOT TO FARM? OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE AND AGRO- BUSINESS
What opportunities exist for youth to prosper in agriculture and agro-business?
When it comes to food security, young people are the future. This is true particularly for the rural youth but there is a problem. Do young people even want these opportunities for themselves? Do they even know what opportunities exist for them? Agriculture is one of those topics that does not get talked about enough.
Many problems bedevil any young person who wants to take up agriculture as a career especially in arid areas. The first issue is that there is little arable land and with global warming, land continues to get drier and encroached. In arid areas, there is little fodder for livestock and the elderly watch as their cows get thinner and thinner. Goats feed on the same bushes for months until the pastures are covered with dust. Rivers and lakes dry up and most people rely on rainwater which is not always assured given the change in weather patterns.
Some young people also do not have access to credit and they do not know how to start selling their products to wider markets. If they do manage to do that, as the main stakeholder on the value chain, they do not get compensated enough for their produce. The easier way out is to go to the urban cities like Nairobi in Kenya, Kigali in Rwanda and Kampala in Uganda. The young people have been forced to see that the city life is attractive and it is their only way out. What people do not realize is that the cities are heavily reliant on the food that comes from the rural areas.
There is the problem of how long the rural populations can support these swelling cities while still taking care of the environment. The easier way out would be to get young people back to the rural areas but what I they do not want to go back? There is a negative connotation associated with the phrase “young farmer’” and people have to shed this mentality. Is the world facing a major crisis? Closer home, how many energetic but jobless young people roam the streets looking for a job? A way out?
This conversation starts today.
This is a conversation about an untapped area. A sector that would flourish if people knew how many opportunities await them. However, there is no easy way out for sensitizing and even convincing them but showing them the opportunities that await them is a step in the right direction.
So what opportunities are we talking about?
Agriculture as a business
Young people move to the urban areas to start their own businesses or to work for businesses but what they do not realize is that they can still treat agriculture as a business. They can grow their business and even get more income than they would in the city. Young people ought to be proud to be farmers because this should not be something to scoff at. Farmers have so much power because without food on the table, people will die. Then such a vital business should not be scoffed at. Young people will be able to achieve their career goals while making an impact.
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Employment Opportunities
There are many young people who are unemployed and they waste their time in the cities while they could be doing something in agriculture. One young person can go back to the rural area and he/she can employ and inspire other young people. This can also be a solution for the many unemployed youth sprawled in the cities.
Reduce Crime
Because young people will be busy farming, they will not have time to engage in crime and activities like drug and alcohol abuse. They will put their energy into something that makes their lives better.
Growth and Development of rural areas.
Young people have abandoned their rural areas and the growth of this areas is slow. This is because the people who have the energy, skills and technological know-how have deserted these areas. Because young people will make money from farming, this will improve their living standards. Farming has the ability to reduce poverty and improve life quality of people. People will have their basic needs met and they will take care of themselves and this is a positive thing for the country.
It is my dearest wish and hope that someday I can afford a piece of land to live on instead of paying rent in a city. There is something so rewarding about working with your hands in the dirt. It feels like real work - everything about it is tangible, the produce is tangible, the sore muscles and sweat and good night's sleep are all tangible - I think it is easier to feel like a whole human being when you can see the fruits of your own labors. Great post.
BTW I want to point out a pretty impressive rate of engagement you have achieved with this post - as of the time of my typing, 22 post views and 17 comments! That is amazing!
Much love - Carl
Same here. After growing up homesteading, I really love how my parents live. I came to the city to make a living but this apartment/city life sometimes. And I know what you mean when you talk about working with your hands. Have you watched a film called "Back to Eden"? Apart from the religious point of view which might not sit well with everyone, it is really amazing and blew my mind. If you are into organic gardening, you should watch it. It's on Youtube too.
Link :
I have also seen that this post is doing well in terms of discussion and comments. I feel that it is because it touches on agriculture and things that everyone relates to. Thanks. @carlgnash I thought it would do better in terms of payouts but I am happier because of the engagement. I will keep Steeming.
Our generation's mindset was twisted long time ago. Go to school and make it. Jobs in the city make a difference. Now telling the same people that agriculture is the solution doesn't make sense. However, for those who have embraced farming there are plenty of opportunities. What we need now is access to financial support and better structures to market products and reduce waste.
Agreed.
What I worry about is that the percentage of older people on farms is too high. What happens in the future?
We start preaching that farming is profitable as any other business out there.
yes. That is the spirit.
Farming is totally undervalued everywhere else, people are too blinded by the prosper of gold mining but neglected the importance of agriculture. In my opinion, agriculture is not only a business but is also a source & a foundation for all living organism. Without it, we could not survive even with the extensive source of golds.
Taking a look at Japanese agriculture system might be helpful in the situation of Africa now. Start with the mind-set, everyone deserves to know the truth of the current situation and act immediately to curb the problem.
Wow I have never thought of that approach. I think changing one persons' mindset at a time will change communities, countries and the continent.
I think people undervalue farming because it takes long and it is labour intensive but people forget that with the right methods, the harvest is well worth the input.
I need to research on the Japanese system.
Could you bring in technology in farming, i'm sure it will attract the young people to be in the agriculture business because the world still depends on agriculture for food, it is the kind of business that will always be there
Yes. That would attract them. Hence why we want more youth o focus on Agriculture as a business as opposed to an activity. That is where technology comes in.
Thanks .
when u talk about africa, which part are you focusing on? because my south african friend commented that africa focus too much on agriculture. But in my opinion, there should be a balance in everything
Hey @asiannetwork Originally when I was piecing together this article, I was focussing on East Africa but decided to include the whole continent.
Most African Governments have decided to turn deaf ears to the need to boost the Agricultural Sector.
Especially here in Nigeria, the government have thrown all their eggs in one basket(oil and gas sector), forgetting that before the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in Nigeria around 1956, Agricultural sector generated the Country's income by above 60% .
It's quite sad.
However, the youths are not helping matter. Very few wanna go into Agriculture, everyone wants the unavailable white collar jobs.
Well done @jeanwandimi
that is actually not true, Nigeria has always had food security as a key policy, Obasanjo is a farmer so is Buhari and they both led with agriculture as a top 3 priority, Jonathan has probably done the most in terms of investing in that sector. In terms of food security Nigeria is actually doing reasonably ok, you clearly do not know what you are talking about, clearly!
Well...
You can still comment without making it look like a verbal duel.
I would have appreciated ur comment more if you Wia a bit more statistical, factual and holistic.
You should have told us the percentage of investment, the output of the said investment and how it contributes to our GDP.
Thanks a lot, I welcome your opinion. @cryptogrind
physician heal thy self, perhaps you should take your own advice, where are the statistics facts or holistice of ignorance c elements in the sweeping generalisation that you have just made, how much has nigeria been investing in agriculture that you have found insufficient, what is the govt policy on agriculture and where have you found the shortfall - guys like you just go online and make all these loose statements - arrogan
The situation is the same here with a high rural-urban migration. However, some organizations are trying to change the narrative.
I don't know how far your government is willing to support youths that have interest in Agriculture, because it's not easy to startup. I am a poultry farmer, and I know how expensive it is to start up a farm. Yes, the youths are not willing to farm, some of them think it's a dirty job, some feel they cannot handle it, it's okay for them to think that way, because a graduate of architectural designs has no knowledge of farming.
I don't know about tour country but in my country, if the government would provide funds for the youths, there will be a better stand in the agricultural sector.
In Kenya there are some financial institutions that offer loans and funds to people who want to farm but they are not easy to get. The youth are also not willing to farm. However, this is not the case for all as there are some doing something about it. There is a time there was a quail farming craze in Kenya and almost everyone was rearing quails.
That is something that is really lacking in Africa, sustainable farming. Fertile soil must be managed as a resource, like gold or diamonds would be. Crop rotation, new technologies and farming practices must be implemented to preserve what we have.
I agree. Most of all, people have to do it collectively and with urgency. Thanks for the comment.
The quality of agricultural produce in Africa has been undervalued greatly due to that farmers have not been able to capture the attention of high-value private sector buyers, and have instead sold sub-par produce at low prices at the farm gate. otherwise great post
I agree. Thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to your posts. :)
excellent ideas well laid out. Indulging in agricultural activities will help curtail crimes in the vicinity. Always amazing
Thanks @richforever I am glad you liked the post. Cheers!
cheers
Wonderful Motivation for your Youth. If they are productive members of the crime will be reduced and what better way to be productive than to garden and be self sustaining. Upvoted
Yes that is the thing. We are working on the mentality that they have about Agriculture. Once they see how profitable it is, they won't even think of crime or any detrimental practices.