The Director General of the International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Nteranya Sanginga has called on Southern
African countries to tap into the youth population in the region to address
food insecurity and end unemployment.
Addressing policymakers and youths in the region at
a conference organized by Centre
for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in Southern Africa (CCARDESA),
Dr Sanginga said the youth population in the region should be seen as more of
an asset than a problem.
“Youths
have the energy, and if we are able to tap into this energy we will be able to
advance agriculture on the continent,” Dr Sanginga who was represented by Dr
Alfred Dixon, said in Durban, South Africa, 3-6 August.
Speaking
on the topic: Unlocking Agribusiness Opportunities for Youth in Southern Africa;
the Director General gave an account of how a youth program (IITA Youth
Agripreneurs) initiated by IITA in 2012 is attracting youths into agriculture.
“From zero dollars, these youths have been able to
grow their income to $700 per month,” he explained.
“On their own, these young men and women are today
managing different enterprises including cassava, maize, vegetables, soybean,
banana and plantains, fish, and livestock,” he added.
According to him, the experience of IITA from the
youth program clearly demonstrated that with institutional support and
mentoring, youths could be engaged in agriculture to make a decent living.
The
IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) also gave their presentation during the
break-away sessions, in the sub-theme 3 group tagged; The Role of Youth in Innovations and Agribusiness Solution: Cassava
Case Study by the IITA Youth Agripreneurs. The presentation was titled: “Cassava Product, Processing and Marketing.”
Mustapha
Quadri, a member of IYA, gave the presentation after which he took questions
from the audience. The presentation was based on the various products and value
addition that can be derived from cassava. Cassava products were concentrated
on due to the fact that the exhibition focused on cassava-based products.
Participants visiting the exhibition stands liked the cassava products (eg
fufu, garri, tidbits, chinchin,
cake and cookies).
Earlier
in his keynote address, the Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research
in Africa (FARA), DrYemiAkinbamijo said, “Agricultural sector needs to be
transformed in order to provide employment for the youth in Africa and we need
to increase value addition to attract the youth.”
The
Executive Director of CCARDESA, Prof Timothy Simalenga on his part commended
IITA and other partners for initiating youth programs to attract youths into
agriculture, and emphasized that CCARDESA would continue to support
agricultural development in the region with emphasis on getting more youths
engaged in agriculture.
Those
who attended the meeting from IITA were: Dr Alfred Dixon, Mr Godwin Atser,
UgheokeAvoedoghia Diana,Mustapha Quadri,
Christophe Kongolo, Caroline Liwena, Bupe Gwasa, Ronald Ongario and Christine
Zamugurha.
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