Young people and agriculture in Africa

Last updated:

30 September 2016

Partner/Network:

IDS, Alliance2015

Language:

Over the last decade, issues like the youth bulge, unemployment and under-employment, migration, and civil and political unrest, have led a growing focus on young people as a new, high priority target group.

Wallen Ndovie and Thoko Kalanje (Concern Worldwide) weighing OFSP vines and roots (SUSTAIN Malawi) Photo: Sara Quinn.

Alongside this growing focus is a growing consensus among policy-makers and development professionals that a combination of agriculture and entrepreneurship is key to addressing the youth employment challenge. This is particularly true for Africa.

This new report, "Young People and Agriculture in Africa: A Review of Research Evidence and EU Documentation", published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) for Alliance2015, examines the logic upon which youth-specific agricultural initiatives are based, and the degree to which that logic is supported by evidence.

The analysis is organised around four “chains of explanation”, with each chain addressing the question: Why are rural young people in Africa turning away from agriculture? Two of these chains focus on structural issues within the agricultural sector and agrarian economy (i.e. farm productivity and access to land); another focuses on the interplay between education and aspirations, and the last on young people’s awareness (or otherwise) of the opportunities offered to them through agriculture.

The research further analyses how this evidence is reflected in current EU policy and programming in Malawi, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

The findings reveal huge variation in the depth and breadth of evidence underpinning policy and practice in relation to Youth and Agriculture.