Agriculture policy and legislative regimes are very dynamic. Governments are constantly enacting new policies and revising existing ones. Yet, a lingering question is how grounded these decisions are in solid data and evidence. Many times, policies have had unintended negative consequences, while others are lacking in key aspects that ensure effectiveness, equity, and sustainability.
Browsing: AGRA
Women make up more than 50% of Africa’s population and 80% of them reside in rural areas. Over 60% are employed in rural areas in the agriculture sector. Given the limited capacity of other sectors to absorb the growing labour force, agriculture will remain important for employment and livelihoods for the foreseeable future for young people in both farming and related activities.
The conference brought together stakeholders in Kenya in the areas of food and land use systems – agriculture, SMEs, policy, water, resilience to climate change, natural resources management, sustainable consumption, and healthy diets among others.
The project has proved to be beneficial to farmers with 91% of farmers reporting substantial increases in crop yields by incorporating regenerative agriculture practices.
“Africa boasts a young and energetic population, and with the right resources and support, they can be the engine propelling the continent’s agricultural transformation,” said AGRA Rwanda Country Director, Jean-Paul Ndagijimana.
Applications will be received from May 13th to July 2nd, 2024, with 80 top applicants from eight focus countries – Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda – joining the highly competitive and selective programme.
One critical aspect of YEFFA is its focus on strengthening the policy and institutional landscape. Recognizing the importance of a supportive environment, the program endeavors to bolster regional and continental policies to create an enabling ecosystem for youth participation in agribusiness.
The Abuja Declaration, endorsed by the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union in 2006, highlights the importance of managing soils to address the challenges of soil fertility decline.
Africa’s food systems require a critical shift towards resilience. Extreme weather like droughts, floods, and desertification pose real threats, causing crop failures and devastating livelihoods.
With unemployment rates of 25% in some countries and underemployment rates at 70% in others, the African Union’s development agenda rightly places youth at its core, acknowledging that none of its aspirations can be achieved without their meaningful engagement.