Editor’s Note: Happy International Youth Day! This year’s theme is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal with the theme: “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Production and Consumption”
In commemoration of today’s activity (ies); YPARD Country Representative in Nigeria, Olawale Ojo fortells how youths can help innovate agricultural practice by the year 2030.
By Olawale Ojo, @lawaleojo, Nigeria
Mallam Audu works out of the agro shop smiling. He has just purchased all the input for this season’s planting and also got his 30 minutes advisory session from the agro dealer. Two thousand kilometers away, Mr Obi takes delivery of fresh tubers of yams; two bunches of plantain and a basket of tomatoes just 20 minutes after ordering from a mobile app. The roads leading to Thai community are now well paved and the first textile factory is up and running with quality cotton supplied by farmers in the community. Aba is now home of quality textile with exports to the other regions of Africa. You might wonder, when did all these happen? The year is 2030.
Of course many will say, “These are just wishful thinking and dreams”. They are however very achievable. The role young people in Nigeria, and indeed Sub Sahara Africa, have to play to make all the above a reality cannot be over-emphasised. Little wonder then that this year’s International Youth Day focuses on three fundamental elements –eradicating poverty, achieving sustainable production and consumption by the year 2030. While a whole lot goes into achieving these, agriculture and agribusiness plays a major role. It is also one of the few sectors that can conveniently engage young people solving issues related to hunger, mal-nutrition, unemployment and ultimately food security.
THE ROAD TO 2030
Much is needed to achieve this goal it is however achievable. This article highlight 3 kick off steps needed to achieve this by 2030. It is important to note though that actions are required from now to make this reality
To start with, an all inclusive stakeholder consultation is needed. This consultation will involve both public and private sector in agriculture, the farmers, youths and women, donor organizations ,research institutes, health care organization and other organizations or agency that play a role in the agriculture value chain to mention a few. The purpose of this consultation will be to have a holistic need assessment of what is needed to improve and transform agriculture. It will also be an avenue to priotize key focus areas and synergize across board on steps to take to achieve the set goal. One of the fundamental outcomes expected from this consultation should be a clearly defined value chain transformation road map for each key commodities and agricultural services.
A consultation usually ends with a long list of needs to be address and responsibilities to be shared. Due diligence needs to be done to this to ensure every one knows the role they have to play and in what areas of the sector. It is on the basis of these that required increased investment need to be provided. The Feed Africa Report by the African Development Bank clearly stated that Africa requires US$315bn- US$400bn to realize the Sustainable Development Goals on poverty and ending hunger. It is thus imperative that consistent and purposeful effort be made to provide funding to transforming agriculture and it value chain. This should start with increased allocation of budget to agriculture and related sectors by the governments. It is also important that the government allows the private sector handle the job of running agribusiness while they focus on issues like regulation, health care, research, infrastructure to mention but a few.
Young people are dynamic and energetic. They are also not blinded to the challenges and pressures of the times we live in and as such might not be quickly drawn to engaging in agriculture as they believe that a white collar career in other sectors will provide a better life for them. Of course not every one will be in the agriculture sector. It is however important to note that more than ever before the sector needs intelligent, hardworking, smart and entrepreneurial young men and women to engage in the various aspect of the value chain. It is thus important that changing young people’s perception toward agriculture be given attention. To succeed in this, a couple of things need to be done
- Improving the lifestyle of existing smallholders to reflect success by helping them do agribusiness rather than just farming
- Promoting the success of young people who are doing well in agribusiness
- Parents and educational institutions promoting from an early age importance of growing ones food through backyard farming and school gardening
- A joint collaboration by the public and private sector to fund scholarships to study agriculture and to provide grants and loans to young people with ideas in agriculture and agribusiness
These kick off steps needs intentional efforts from all involved. There is no folding of hands and waiting to be spoon fed. Youth, need to get involved in shaping the future they want for themselves. Join in policy discussion, partner with others in areas of interest in agriculture and agribusiness, be ready to learn and get trained if needs be. Display qualities of hard work, honesty and endurance to achieve set goals. If opportune to get funding please use wisely for intended purpose.
2030 is not far off from us. As a young person are you prepared to take needed steps to achieve these goals. We all should take sometime to think about this and see areas we can contribute. A little bit of effort will collectively yield good results.
About the Author:
Olawale Ojo is on both side of the divide both as a career person and an entrepreneur. From 8 to 5 he diligently delivers on his job in an international seed company in the product management department. This role takes him from one farming community to the other engaging farmers and introducing them to better technology to improve productivity while also identifying the many gaps that exists.Other than this, he is also an Agric-entrepreneur doing his best to build his less than 5 years old agribusiness. Primary among the priority of the enterprise is agriculture advocacy focused on youth through use of social media via the Agropreneur Naija brand and providing business support services to small scale agribusinesses and startups. Volunteering runs is in his blood from my university days through Junior Chambers International (JCI). Thus he currently volunteers for the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) where he serves as the Country Representative.