Explore opportunities beyond agriculture says FAO boss

The Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO)’s Director-General José Graziano da Silva

The Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO)’s Director-General José Graziano da Silva has advised African countries that even though agriculture would continue to generate employment in Africa over the coming decades, opportunities should be explored beyond agriculture throughout the food chains in order to create enough jobs for young people, especially those in rural areas.

This was revealed in press statement issued, signed and made available to Food Farm News by its National Communication Officer, David Karls TSOKAR in Abuja.

Graziano da Silva reportedly  made the remarks at FAO's Regional Conference for Africa which is primarily dedicated to creating decent and attractive employment in the continent added that "countries need to promote a rural and structural transformation that fosters synergies between farm and non-farm activities and that reinforces the linkages between rural areas and cities, This includes processing, packaging, transportation, distribution, marketing and service provision, especially financial and business services.

He pointed to FAO's regional programme saying "Youth Employment: enabling decent agriculture and agri-business jobs", which goes beyond farm jobs and seeks to develop capacity and scale up successful approaches through programme formulation and partnerships and declared: "More than ever, strategic partnerships are needed to bring together the African Union, the African Development Bank and the UN system and other development partners".

He warned however that more profitable urban markets can lead to a concentration of food production in large commercial farms, and also the creation of value chains dominated by large processors and retailers.

"In this contest, smallholders and family farmers need specific policies and regulations. This includes providing access to inputs, credit and technology and improving land tenure," Graziano da Silva added, stressing how social protection programmes, including cash transfers can link public food purchase to family farmer's production.

Estimates suggest that up to 12 million new jobs will have to be created every year to absorb new labour market entrants over the next 20 years. Today some 54 percent of Africa's working force relies on the agricultural sector for livelihoods, income and employment, especially in family farming.

With more people moving to cities, demand on urban food markets will grow, which in turn can generate job opportunities in all agriculture-related activities. But FAO believes that more must be done to create non-agricultural employment in rural areas, including agro-tourism and other services.

Also the  FAO boss,  José Graziano da Silva has underscored that in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2, achieving Zero Hunger needs to go together with ending all forms of malnutrition, a consequence of which is the current global overweight and obesity epidemic saying obesity related disease may become the biggest killer in Africa by 2030. 

Rapid urbanization and consumption of highly processed foods are the major drivers behind the increase in overweight and obesity. Yet many people in Africa are unaware that certain foods are unhealthy, or that being overweight presents a health risk, the FAO Director-General said.

He urged for the need to "act on two fronts" focusing on both the production and consumption of healthy food, and called for ensuring more responsible advertising and information campaigns on food products. "People must be aware about the pros and cons of what they are eating, and also be encouraged to eat healthy food."