The paradox of youth engagement in agriculture; East Africa

29 year-old Nyaga in her watermelon garden

Massive interest is being redirected by governments and development agencies to youth engagement in agriculture across the globe, UN FAO is at the center stage in this noble move.

Written by Abet Tonny

This is a situation analysis of youth engagement in agriculture in Uganda and Kenya. 

There has been a worldwide disinterest among young people to engage in agriculture. Sub-saharan countries like Uganda not left out. One of the ferocious factors disinteresting the youth in Uganda, East Africa from agriculture is the low profitability of agricultural investments. The low profitability springs from little/lack of knowledge on basic farming practices and the skills to strategically cope with the realities facing them such as; depleting soil fertility, unreliable rains, low yielding seeds, emerging pests and diseases, land fragmentation due to high population increase and the worrying influx of self-centered middle men into the agricultural production value chain. The young people have the necessary strength, curiosity and aspirations which when realligned and channeled into productive agriculture will catalyze the global sustainable development goals 1 and 2.

We should acknowledge that the devoted old farmers tirelessly delievering fresh apples, tomatoes, eggs, chicken... to sustain our extravagant urban diet were once young people who took interest in farming. All of them had options including to become factory workers or work in mineral mines of Mombasa but they decided to stick to farming, the valuable producers of food we enjoy! The threat is that their valuable contribution in ensuring food security would go to drain if sustainability is not planned and implemented, the young people are pivotal in sustainability of food security of our nation and the global population. Yet, we can't force them to engage in this chain but we can interest and re-attract them into productive agriculture.

The question is, how relatable is the concern to a nation like Uganda?

A travel to Anai, Lira district in Uganda can leave you with more questions to ask about the food security of the district in the next 10 or 30 years. It is increasingly getting hard to find intelligent and devoted young person eager and learning to grow these crops, fruits or raise the animals with passion like our older farmers did. The recent studies on youth engagement in agriculture in Uganda stands as low as 55% from 73% of 2005 of Uganda National Census of Agriculture. Implying approximately 1.5 million young Ugandans abandoned farming in the last 10 years, a huge number!  The sharp and brainy young people in developing countries like Uganda are in urban areas riding motor cycles (boda boda) or selling boiled eggs in Owino Market in Kampala city of Uganda. The hopeless ones are drowning in drunkardness and engaging in all sorts of criminal acts like robbery. It is important to appreciate that the quality apples, tomatoes, vegetables or chicken we enjoy are produced by excellent farmers, sharp farmers. So just like in medicine or health, agriculture/farming equally needs excellent people. This disinterest of sharp energetic young people away from farming is a global concern, happening in U.S.A as well as in China amongst other nations of the world. This needs to haltered with immediate effect if global food security is to be sustained. 

The other side of the discussion is creation of enabling environment to make young people thrive in agriculture. I would love to make it clear that farming can be more productive than a job employment when one concentrates. Most parenta are so negative immediately they hear the word farming or agriculture. Let's briefly read from Annie, a 29 year-old Biomedical Scientist turned farmer>>>here Annie Nyaga has been in farming for sometime now. Her annual return from farming continues to aspire more and more young people to join farming.       

Food security, household income and unemployment remain some of the catalysts behind the push on youth to engage in agriculture. Most young people translate youth engagement in agriculture as 'getting your hands dirty.' However, agriculture is a vast terrain with a number of mind intriguing and adventurous areas.  Developing technologies for farming such as apps for diagnosing plant diseases (e.g Nuru), and apps like EZYAGRIC for online marketing of farm inputs and outputs. You can also work in research and manufacture of drones for monitoring the farm estate and irrigation solutions. People who love deep science can study plant disease and pest dynamics to develop award winning tolerant varieties. Then we have the usual; engagement in farm production of crops and animals, extension service provision and produce business. Fixing yourself as a young person into any of or other relevant areas equate to youth engagement in agriculture.
This is the very class with great knowledge in crop and animal production but they would prefer to use their skill only when employed in some company or farm estate to serve as agronomists or agriculture engineer. This class consists of young people who stopped in secondary level of education, holders or certificates/diploma/degree in agriculture or related studies that would make them excel more if they engaged their skills in farming. 

In a developing country like Uganda, youth engagement in agriculture takes a twist. It is being promoted as a way out from the overwhelming unemployment burden the government is getting hard time to mitigate promptly. Unemployement is not unique to Uganda but a global concern. Agriculture promoted among young people in Uganda and most African countries is leaning on engagement into crop and animal production which works well for young people who are either uneducated or don't have capital but those who desire mind stimulating work such as research and innovative product development are left helpless and potential untapped. A number young people in this latter class are seated in homes from morning to sunset glued to TV screen as they wait for the next call to come for interview in a research or agrochemical company. However, some of them have succeeded in picking up and developing ground breaking innovations like EazeHatch egg incubators and Fruit dryers among others.

However, with no bias, productive agriculture is more rewarding than employment when one decides to concentrate and grow in it. The biggest trouble with most of us the young people is that we have seen huge farms, interfaced very successful farmers and we want to launch into farming in their level which leaves the aspiring farmers not only feeling so incapable but also useless. Start small.

This sharing is also sensitive to advocating for enabling environment for young people to engage in agriculture. The perception of most parents on agriculture is always vague. It is true that we are what we think. As a parent, it is possible you see farming as the side of life for losers. Well, this is not true. You are simply not exposed to successful farmers living larger than you. The other thing is the land ownership system where a child is only accorded land after marriage. When your child is intending to go farming, s/he needs land and you should be in position to suppport him or her with land where possible. Sometimes your child will need capital supplement to make the process successful especially purchase of equipment like irrigation equipment. The government should also subsidize and make available loanable money to young people who do not have security which is a deal breaker when young people approach financial institutions like banks. However, young people should always consider growing slowly and reduce dependance on loan money that presents higher chance of frustration as farming just like any other business can fail especially in the starter years that experience is being built.