The NEPAD Rural Futures Programme will receive a boost of USD4 million from the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund, to promote youth employment in rural Africa.

Yesterday, NEPAD Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki and UN Agriculture and Food Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly implement the programme.

One of its aims is to create jobs for young people in the agriculture and agribusiness sector by helping countries to draw up and implement policies to boost enterprise development and entrepreneurship skills in rural areas.

Dr Mayaki said: "This programme is a concrete way to empower young men and women with the necessary capacities and skills to engage in the socio-economic transformation of their countries. The joint implementation of the programme demonstrates the strong partnership that exists between FAO and the NEPAD Agency."

Promoting youth employment in the agriculture sector is a direct response to the outcomes of the Malabo Declaration in which African Heads of State re-committed to accelerate agricultural growth and transformation.

The programme also supports the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) which aims to boost agricultural productivity and food security on the continent.

The Africa Solidarity Trust Fund, administered by FAO in partnership with key collaborators, pools resources from Africa's strongest economies and uses them across the continent to implement initiatives under CAADP.

The Fund was launched in 2013 as a unique Africa-led initiative to improve agriculture and food security across the continent. Contributions are made from African Union member states and civil society organizations. It is governed by a steering committee currently consisting of Equatorial Guinea, Angola, the Chair of the Africa Group, the Chair of the Regional Conference for Africa, the African Union and FAO.