November 25, 2020 – Africa may not reach its transformation goals as defined in agenda 2063, without fully harnessing the demographic dividend through Investments in Youth. While youths currently constitute approximately 40% of the working age population, over 60% of them are unemployed. However, Africa has policies and programmes to tackle unemployment amongst the youths, but the different policies at both continental and national levels do not adequately address the challenges of the rural youths in a holistic and coherent manner.

Rural youths require customised training model and curricula, given that most of them have not had the opportunity to obtain quality education and training. To create opportunities, rural youths require policy interventions.

“Over the past few years, we have produced thousands of youth entrepreneurs, as well as national action plans for rural youth employments,” Mrs Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, Director of Programmes Innovation and Planning at the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD said. She was speaking at the side-event on ‘Strengthening Rural Decent Jobs in Africa’ was hosted by AUDA-NEPAD on the margins of the 16th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP PP) on 25 November.

“All over the world, finding decent jobs for youths is a challenge, compounded by COVID-19. We can harness the youth dividend in the context of Africa, where there is high informality of employment, through multiple investments delivered at the right time, as well as the provision of skills,” Mrs Sara Mbago-Bhunu, Regional Director, East and Southern Africa at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), remarked.

The AUDA-NEPAD project on Strengthening Opportunities for Rural Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Africa, which is funded by IFAD was officially launched during the side-event.

The project seeks to contribute towards improving the enabling environment for young women and men to access decent and sustainable employment opportunities. AUDA-NEPAD is currently finalising the initial phase to kick-start the project in four countries: Cameroon, Mali, Mozambique and Zambia.

“Whilst health aspects are paramount and urgent at these uncertain times, there is recognition of the social and economic havoc that COVID19 is causing globally. It has exposed critical structural fragilities, weaknesses and vulnerabilities of African economies. This project could not have come at the right time,” Mrs Fotabong said.

Thus far, the lessons learnt are that:

• Youths can contribute to national & continental economies when encouraged to do so
• Engaging youths in rural enterprises does not require much capital
• Countries’ buy-in and political support are critical
• Building partnerships is essential

The project on Strengthening Opportunities for Rural Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Africa has the potential to support innovative  employment policies, skills development and partnerships for decent rural jobs that contribute to  growth and economic stability, as well as to increase the participation of rural youths in economic activities.