The youth all over the world have been acknowledged as an important human resource with the potential to contribute significantly to national development and therefore must be accorded such recognition and be involved in national development by governments and all other stakeholders. Youths are an asset and not a liability. Perceiving young people as a resource allows us to focus on long-term solutions, identifying needs and developing policies in order to let young people realise their full potential as citizens and let society benefit the most from their intellectual capital which unfortunately lies idle and marginalised especially in Africa.

For the avoidance of any doubt, youth is defined as a male or female person aged between 15 and 35 years, in line with African Youth Charter. In Rwanda, 65 per cent of its population are youths and in order to harness their skills, energy, creativity, ambitions and aspirations it is critical that we have clear youth inclusion policies per economic sector.

As I mentioned in my last article on how youths in Rwanda are the fuel to the realisation of vision 2050, sustainable youth policies need to focus on three pillars; economic empowerment of youth through education and skills development, employment creation and entrepreneurship development.

This week I want to look at how we can maximise youth participation in the agricultural sector, the largest employer in Rwanda, and do the utmost avoid subsistence farming where many can be trapped in a vicious cycle of subsistence farming from which they can never escape. There are currently many initiatives being undertaken in the agricultural sector and there is no doubt that some of my recommendations are being undertaken. However it is important that we do not throw money at youths who are not prepared or skilled in their chosen occupation and hope for the desired results, that will not work and we will be unable to meet their expectations and ours. A clinical and well informed approach to youth empowerment initiatives is important.

Rwanda’s agricultural sector has long been vital to its economic stability and growth. Not only does it form the basis of the direct and indirect livelihoods of almost 70 per cent of the population, but overall economic growth, including that of all the other sectors, is also directly linked to the performance of this sector. Agriculture must, therefore, remain a priority sector given its potential exponential impact on the rest of the economy.

The participation of youths in agriculture value chains is key to economic growth and can provide massive employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for them while ensuring increased export revenues and sustainable food security for all.

Productive economic opportunities in the agriculture sector need various components. These include;

Capacity development adapted to the youth’s levels of understanding;

Facilitation and mentorship in adequately accessing land;

Access to credit and markets; while also

Enhancing the opportunities for youth inclusion in policy and strategic debates on the agriculture sector.

The key issues which need attention include;

For young people to be fully vested in society, they must be given the resources to become fully empowered for productivity;

Youth must begin to see agriculture employment as attractive. Attracting youths to and retaining them in the agriculture sector remains a global challenge;

Agriculture mechanisation and new technologies are key for success and increased productivity;

Access to finance is a critical factor in developing self-employment opportunities;

Access to markets can be a major constraint; and

Access to suitable and well developed land is critical.

If we agree on the above, it is necessary for a youth policy for the agricultural sectors to do the following;

Facilitate the access of youth to government loan/input facilities in agriculture;

Establish "youth in agriculture” forums or clubs in each province focusing on crops that are grown in that province;

Establish model farms/incubators where youth can receive practical training and exposure in partnership with the ministry of agriculture and other relevant stakeholders;

Establish youth agriculture finance mechanism which funds youth who have graduated from incubators;

Create linkages for youth farmers with contractors in the farming sector;

Identify unemployed agricultural graduates and create employment opportunities in the sector; and

Provide agriculture product/export markets information.

How do we achieve the above?

Get organised;

Establish a youth national body with provincial chapters or clubs; and

These will be used for dissemination of information, training and development initiatives including accessing opportunities.

Facilitate the access of youth to government loan/input facilities in agriculture;

Partner with the government and service providers to create access and mediate for youth to access agriculture financing facilities and

Monitor and assist in the effective implementation of youth projects under government credit or input facilities.

Model farms/incubators;

Scope agricultural projects with a minimum reasonable size per individual;

The infrastructure will then be upgraded and the farms subdivided;

Farming equipment will be shared;

Farms will be in every region so that we can spread development;

Youth must apply to participate;

Ensure gender equity among participants;

Allocate an experienced mentor to each group;

Each youth with a viable business proposition; and

Each unit will be allocated a minimum seed capital.

Finance;

Encourage agriculture financiers to allocate percentage funds loaned to youth; and

Establish a "youth empowerment bank” which prioritises agriculture as a key sector for youth participation

Contract farming;

Link youth farmers with contractors in the farming sector and ensure a percentages of contracts are allocated to youth farmers; and

Initiate specific contract growing projects targeting only youths.

Unemployed agriculture graduates;

Create a national and up to date youth agriculture skills base which can be accessed online;

Establish a youth agriculture graduates placement agency which links youths to opportunities in that sector.

Provide agriculture products/export markets information;

Create an accessible agriculture products/export markets database to be accessed by youths in all provinces; and

Establish a commodities exchange platform for youths.

In my opinion, if each of the four provinces does the above under the economic devolution initiative, we will begin to see youths who are included in national development and are provided with the necessary tools and support. We must set them up to succeed.