UNIDO works with Y20 to further youth economic inclusion in the agribusiness sector

Africa’s growing youth population is challenging its ability to meet the demand for jobs, highlighting the urgency to facilitate job creation through developing agribusinesses and entrepreneurship through leveraging public and private investments in agriculture. Simultaneously, the post COVID-19 economic recovery provides an opportunity to redesign national policies aiming to stimulate youth employment.

In partnership with Youth20 (Y20), G20’s official youth engagement group, UNIDO organized an online workshop on “Opportunities for Youth’s Economic Inclusion in the Agriculture and Agribusiness sector in Africa” on 5 July 2021.

“COVID-19 has enhanced the urgency to seek our own solutions and create our own realities” said Gabriel Curtis, Minister of Investments and Public-Private Partnerships of the Republic of Guinea. The workshop was organized within the framework of the joint UNIDO-FAO programme, Opportunities for Youth in Africa, endorsed by the African Union and uniquely positioned to accelerate job creation in the agri-food sector by envisioning youth as Africa’s most important source of human capital and driver of development.

Open exclusively to 30 international delegates of Y20and livestreamed for 400 members of the Young Ambassadors Society, the workshop called for policy solutions to place youth inclusion at the heart of Africa’s economic resilience and explored ways to channel technological upgrades and financial investments for repositioning agriculture as a secure, rewarding and innovative sector. The panel focused on entry points for youth employment and extenuating synergies between agribusiness and digital technologies. Continuing the momentum for inclusive policy dialogue, the workshop is informing the development of the Y20 communique and ensuring visibility of the challenges and opportunities for youth within agriculture - the merits of which will be elemental in representing beneficiaries’ perspectives on development priorities leading up to the G20.

For further information contact Bashir Conde (B.Conde [at] unido.org (B[dot]Conde[at]unido[dot]org))