The Brussels Development Briefing n. 57 on “Investing in smallholder agriculture for food security and nutrition” organised by CTA, the European Commission/EuropeAid and the ACP Secretariat was held on Wednesday 11th September 2019, 9h00-13h00 at the ACP Secretariat, Avenue Georges Henri 451, 1200 Brussels, Room C. The Briefing discussed smallholder agriculture and its key role in delivering food security/nutrition, and sustainable food systems, as recognised in SDG 2.

1. CREATING LIVELIHOODS FOR RURAL
YOUTH IN RURAL ECONOMIES
Brussels Briefing 57 - 11th September 2019
Elizabeth Nsimadala
PAFO President
EAFF President
Agripreneure

2. Vision.
A vibrant African agriculture ,
prosperous and sustainable ensuring
food security and sovereignty, including
the socio-economic development
Mission.
Representing the interests of African
farmers and promoting development of
African agriculture.
PAFO –A continental body that brings together
Regional farmers Organizations in Africa.
MEMBERSHIP:
5 RFOs, 70 NFOs, OVER – 80M SHF 49 COUNTRIES

3. What defines Agriculture in Africa?
• It’s the back borne and Africa’s future – employs more
than 70%
• Its highly labor intensive –low levels of mechanization
• Poor production techniques hence low productivity. i.e
limited use of fertilizer, certified seed, dependent on
nature, climate change effects, limited research and
extension
• Low levels of value addition, poor PHM and storage
• Unstructured markets thus highly volatile prices
• Weak regulatory environment – policies are rarely
implemented
• Sector mainly characterized by the elderly who own
the land - youth have limited access to land

4. • Agriculture is seen as a last resort or for the under
achievers and urban students look at it as a dirty job.
• Rural urban migration.
• In adequate credit facilities to lend to rural youth and
where they exist the requirements are un attainable.
• Un predictable agricultural prices which demoralize
the youth
• Lack of access to land which is a major factor of
production
• Low productivity – low profits and low incomes which
makes it a less attractive investment compared to other
ventures like boda bodas in Uganda.
• Lack of mentors and role models.
Factors limiting youth involvement in agriculture

5. What should be done ?
• Formal and non formal skills development through
capacity building in agribusiness, value addition among
others
• Decentralization of incubation service facilities for
coaching, mentorship and hands /skills training
• Improving access to blended finance for the youth
enterprises
• Embracing and scaling up of working agri-techs to
increase youth participation
• Organizing youth into producer organization and
cooperatives and levelling – ground for them to
participate in leadership roles.

6. What are we doing at PAFO -
EAFF,PROPAC,ROPPA, SACAU
• Leadership - we are providing youth space to provide
leadership in main farmer organizations at the apex
level….this creates mentors and motivation to young
youth farmers.
• Employment - at RFOs we have youthful secretariats
which interact and prepare farmer leaders to engage in
policy / advocacy / investments /partnerships among
others there by transferring a lot of knowledge and
experience to the young generation.

7. Continuation
• Exposure – we have many partners through which
we have exposed our youth members abroad and in
the region both to private and development sectors
as part of capacity building.
• Establishment of regional platforms for young
entrepreneurs to facilitate business to business,
interaction and advocacy. A case of SACAU, PROPAC
and ROPPA
• Providing skills to our young farmers through
developing various value chains ROPPA has
successful cases in Mali in fisheries and Benin on
cashew nuts.

8. Continuation
• Through initiatives like e-granary in Eastern Africa we
have built an ecosystem of partners providing surply
contracts, affordable credit and insurance ,
mechanization services and extension .The platform
reaches 40% youth out of over 200,000 farmers.
• Direct business training / mentorship / partnerships.
EAFF have a project that has mobilized more than 8000
youth, we have profiled and packaged existing
opportunities in East Africa plus relevant contacts. We
are working with experts in training these youth to
develop business ready plans and we are linking them
to investors in Kenya, Uganda ,Rwanda and to the
mentors.

9. key messages and conclusion.
• We have to invest in young people and systems if we are
to have sustainable food systems
• The youth don’t need hand outs, they need to be hand
held to contribute to sustainable food systems.
• Agriculture is the future of Africa. We need actions to
match the transformation and the future we want.

10. THANK YOU