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DISCUSSION No. 127 • FSN Forum digest No. 1229
Youth – feeding the future.
Addressing the challenges faced by rural youth aged 15 to 17 in preparing for and accessing decent work.
until 15 May 2016
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Dear Members,
As we enter the final week of the online discussion: Youth – feeding the future. Addressing the challenges faced by rural youth aged 15 to 17 in preparing for and accessing decent work<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17> we would like to share with you the latest comments and Jacqueline Demeranville's feedback note.
Please visit the discussion page<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17> in order to add your voice to the exchange and to tell us your opinion on how to support youth under 18 to make a good, secure income in agriculture.
The full introduction to this topic is available on the webpage<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17>, including information on the upcoming expert meeting in Rome. If you are interested in attending, please send us the application form<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/files/127_Rural_youth/Participation%20Request%20Form_EN.docx>.
As usual, comments are welcome in English<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17>, French <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/fr/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17> and Spanish<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/es/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17> and in this particular case, also in Arabic<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/files/127_Rural_youth/TOPIC_AR_Rural_Youth.pdf>, Chinese<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/files/127_Rural_youth/TOPIC_ZH_Rural_Youth.pdf> and Russian<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/eca/sites/eca/files/files/Youth/TOPIC-ECA_RU_Rural_Youth.pdf>.
Looking forward to keep receiving your comments.
Your FSN Forum team
Jacqueline Demeranville, facilitator of the discussion
Thank you for your many rich contributions and the models and approaches that you are sharing!
A number of you have mentioned the need for role models for youth in agriculture, improvements in rural infrastructure in general to attract youth to want to stay and work in rural areas, and especially the importance for them to see good income opportunities in agricultural activities.
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How can we support youth under 18 to make a good, secure income in agriculture, addressing the additional barriers they face due to their age? How can we ensure that agricultural interventions also benefit younger youth?
For those contributors who have mentioned they only work with youth over 18, can you tell us a little more about this decision, so that we can understand better the additional support this group might need or the challenges you are facing in reaching this age group?
Some of the contributions have also mentioned the importance of addressing child labour and youth employment together. How can we strengthen the linkages between child labour and youth employment programmes to treat these young people as a continuum and take more of a life-cycle approach? What is being done to promote safe work for youth under 18 in agriculture while avoiding child labour?
Lastly, a number of you have shared initiatives related to providing vocational training to rural youth or work with schools improving agricultural and climate education. How can such initiatives be scaled-up to reach the vast numbers of rural children and youth?
I look forward to our continued discussion, and the approaches you can share on addressing the specific challenges faced by youth under 18 in engaging in agriculture-related activities.
Thank you!
Best regards,
Jacqueline
CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Grace Ochieng Andiki & Andrew MacMillan, Got Matar Community Development Group, Kenya
Grace and Andrew present the experience of the Got Matar Community Development Group, aimed at creating better opportunities for young people in a deprived rural area of western Kenya that was hit very hard by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Institute of Technology founded by this initiative is training hundreds of young students in the age group 15 to 17 but it is still early to know if they will decide to stay in the community and contribute to its development or leave in search of better opportunities.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--42>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Siryebo Mwesigye, Voices of Humanity, Uganda
Siryebo calls for a stronger role of the International Community and governments in Africa in supporting agricultural schools, institutions and organisations that can teach and encourage youth to take up agriculture as a business that can improve livelihoods and fight hunger and poverty.
Read the contribution<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-–-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--41>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Dadji Stephane Serge Bonny, Programme National de Nutrition, Côte d'Ivoire
Dadji Stephane stresses the role of access to land and to education in supporting youth to engage in agriculture.
Read the full contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-–-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--40>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Peter Steele, Independent consultant, Italy and Australia
Peter comments on an earlier contribution by Charlotte Goemans<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--16> and shares his experience in Egypt, where few young people venture into agriculture, despite the fact that developing agricultural lands in Upper Egypt is essential in the context of climate change and demographic trends.
Read the <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17> contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/rural-youth-employment-15to17>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Peter John Opio, FAO, Uganda
Peter shares an info sheet on youth unemployment and job creation in Uganda (link)<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/resources/infosheet_26.pdf> and responds to the questions proposed in the topic note. Challenges faced by youth include gaps in data and information, especially regarding employment and economic dynamics. In addition youth are also hampered by a lack of services and facilities in rural areas. Vocational training should address climate change and include demonstration projects. Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools may offer opportunities to understand the target group and to inform on possible solutions to a number of problems youth face in the community.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--38>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Vaishali Joshi, India
Vaishali describes the situation in her country, which is facing a huge challenge of employment generation. She highlights the role that aquaculture can have in responding both to protein demand and rural youth employment with an example of a model that could be scaled up, involving university graduates and youth from local communities.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--37>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Komlan Assignon, ITRA/CRAL, Togo
Komlan's contribution places rural youth problems in the broader socio-political context of many African countries where demographic trends, low agricultural revenues and high unemployment rates remain unaddressed. It is necessary to take advantage of bilateral and multilateral aid and move towards a more transparent administration of resources.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--35>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Shahzad Hussain, Bunyad Literacy Community Council, Pakistan
Shahzad argues that programmes for youth often benefit the urban youth rather than the rural, as the access to the former is far easier for government personnel’s, institutions and organizations. This causes rural youth to fall behind in skills, literacy and suffer from increased gender disparity.
The Bunyad Literacy Community Council therefore designed a multi-sectoral approach, linking literacy and education programmes with livelihood, environment, health and sanitation measures and engaging in partnerships with local communities, Districts, Provincial and Federal Governments.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--36>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Rabiu Auwalu Yakasai, Ministry of Agriculture Kano State, Nigeria
In his first comment Rabiu suggests a framework for engaging youth in agricultural training by involving students of tertiary institutes (universities, poly-techniques, colleges). They can help prepare the youth towards accessing financial services, joining or forming producer associations and participating in national agricultural programmes.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--22>
Rabiu shares an article on what Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, said about youth employment and in which he stresses the countries' committment towards creating a conducive atmosphere for young entrepreneurs.
Read the article <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/resources/Youth_Employment_Nigeria.pdf>
In his third comment, Rabiu focuses on the lack of committment of youth who often seem to be more interested in earning quick money rather than caring about proper education, training and a career.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--34>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Robert Kibaya, Kikandwa Rural Communities Development Organization, Uganda
Robert gives us an insight into the situation in his native Uganda where most young people view agriculture as something to avoid. He identifies a need for changing the mindsets of the youth so that they begin to look at agriculture as a profitable venture that they can embark on in the future.
The Kikandwa Rural Communities Development Organization, for instance, uses Community Youth Recreation Centers to instil a sense of entrepreneurship into the youth by teaching activities such as commercial chicken rearing, which differs from the traditional, non-commercial methods employed by the previous generations.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--33>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Kristi Tabaj, Save the Children, United States of America
Kristi highlights the importance of targeting any intervention to a specific context, be it the particular location, the gender of the beneficiaries or their educational levels.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--32>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Boucary Togo, Cellule Nationale de Lutte contre le Travail des Enfants, Mali
In his first contribution Boucary shares three strategies on which the fight against child labour should be based on, so that acceptable work conditions are achieved for youth in the 15 to 17 age group.
Read the full contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-jeunes-%E2%80%93-nourrir-l%E2%80%99avenir-r%C3%A9soudre-les-enjeux-auxquels-sont-confront%C3%A9s-les--1>
In his second contribution the roadmap developed by Mali to fight against child labour in agriculture is summarised; these measures will hopefully help to restrain the youth from engaging in crime or migrating to Europe.
Read the full contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-jeunes-%E2%80%93-nourrir-l%E2%80%99avenir-r%C3%A9soudre-les-enjeux-auxquels-sont-confront%C3%A9s-les--2>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Karin Reinprecht, CGIAR CRP Dryland Systems, Jordan
Karin argues that one of the biggest problems of the age group 15 - 17 is dropping out of school - mostly without a realistic livelihood plan.
Especially, she stresses the dire situation of girls getting pregnant and dropping out of school because of their pregnancy. These girls often have no possibility to earn a livelihood for themselves, or be supported by the father of their child or their parents - and end up truly destitute.
Giving these girls a small plot for growing vegetables in addition to providing them the inputs and mentoring them has proven to be a successful measure.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--30>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Dosse Sossouga, Amis des Etrangers au Togo (ADET), Togo
Dosse feels that the technical and financial constraints that youth face are often accompanied by their uncertainty that they will have a better future by engaging in agriculture. Youth need therefore to be informed on all the elements that make a farmer successful, ranging from techniques to finance.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--29>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Mahamadou Sani, NGO APOR NIGER, Niger
Mahamadou shares a series of elements he deems necessary to make youth take part in raising agricultural production: training and education of the young, organization of the young, preparation of the young by financial education, support in the search for financing, organization of the market for agricultural products and support for youth organizations in the development of cultural and sport activities.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--28>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Anna Yeritsyan, Armenia
Anna introduces the Junior Achievement model. In Armenia, it allows the 15-16 years old to establish their own business (they select the board of directors, assign positions, issue shares and raise money) and to actually start producing. Through this experience, youth will be ready to successfully operate an agricultural business once they enter the formal working age at 18 years.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--24>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Courtney Paisley, Italy
Courtney shares her experience working with the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD). In many countries there is minimal and often negative education on farming and the agricultural sector, but there is also little coverage on what the different possibilities are in this sector; such as opportunities further along the value chain or how to bring value addition closer to the farm.
She also states that initiatives that look at youth employment in agriculture need to work within context-specific realities. Research recently conducted in Morocco on the aspirations of young rural people, for instance, revealed that instead of identifying key critical skills that they need for the job of their dreams, they were rather asking for better roads and schools as their top priorities.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--27>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Adam Gerrand, FAO, Italy
Adam shares the paper "Looking inside the household: Children’s reliance on natural resources as coping strategies to food insecurity in developing countries "written by Mariève Pouliot of the University of Copenhagen.
Read the paper<http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/resources/Looking%20inside%20the%20household-%20Children%E2%80%99s%20reliance%20on%20forests%20for%20food%20Pouliot%20WFC2015.pdf>
[cid:image003.png@01D1AA1B.AB869D60]Veronica Kirogo, State Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Kenya
Veronica focuses on Kenya, which is experiencing a rapid urbanization with the most active members of society moving away from the rural areas. This causes rural youth to lose role models for entrepreneurial behaviour. Coupled with the perception that agriculture is a road to poverty, this situation greatly hampers youth's interest in this activity. Agriculture therefore needs to be included in basic education and be taught in exciting and inspirational ways.
Read the contribution <http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/contributions/re-youth-%E2%80%93-feeding-future-addressing-challenges-faced-rural-youth-aged-15-17--23>
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