Putting Swag for Youth in Agriculture

A National Youth in Agriculture Policy Dialogue in Zimbabwe was held at Rainbow Towers in Harare Zimbabwe on the 26^th April 2013 to interrogate the case study findings—for Zimbabwe, following the commissioned six country case studies in 2012 by the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Network (FANRPAN), based in South Africa. These policy dialogues are on-going in FANRPAN’s program of activities.

FANRPAN’s mission is “to promote effective Food, Agriculture and Natural resources (FANR) policies by: (i) facilitating linkages and partnerships between government and civil society; (ii) building the capacity of policy analysis and policy dialogue in Africa; and (iii) supporting demand-driven policy research and analysis”.

There were about fifty representatives of almost equal division by gender. Representatives included the government departments, non-governmental organisations, individual farmers and professional networks. The Young Professionals Platform for Agricultural Research for Development was represented by the country representative for Zimbabwe.

FANRPAN - Zimbabwe’s policy case study was conducted by Mr. Tavaka S. Nyoni of ORAP under the title “Current and Emerging Youth Policies and Initiatives with a Special Focus on Link to Agriculture”. The policy dialogue’s lead facilitator was Dr. I. Mharapara of the Agricultural Research Council of Zimbabwe. He guided the representatives through a series of discussions which yielded the responses below.

Representative’s expectations:  

• To reconcile the energy youths have and their lack of access to land for agricultural purposes
• To view agriculture as a business
• To contribute to eliminating poverty and hunger in Zimbabwe
• To feel the pulse of the dialogue—have fun!

Some of the identified key problems:  

1. Youths’ lack of training, resources, information and marketing to effectively make something out of the agriculture practice
2. Inability of youths to seek the necessary training
3. Slowness in use of modern farming techniques
4. Negative perception by youths about agriculture  
5. Lack if innovative spirit from youths  
6. The red tape and bureaucracy in state structures
7. Lack of diversity e.g. engaging in livestock projects and not just assuming agriculture is cropping!

Some of the key messages

1. There is a need to equip youth champions so that they can carry the advocacy message
2. Always include the gender dimension (i.e. boys and girls and men and women) in youth in agriculture activities
3. The time to pick up opportunities available and run with them is NOW!
4. Agriculture is not just mud but a wide spectrum of activities where youths can get involved
5. There is a need for creative processes to change the perceptions of youths about agriculture  
6. In curricula, the missing link is “information and education” especially at a young age—in primary, secondary and high schools.
7. Youths should work best with what works in their areas
8. Youths should not treat agriculture as an option for failure
9. Copying is denied in schools but not in the agricultural field

Lastly, the resounding note from the dialogue was that youths have got an opportunity here. All the resources and energy needed are there—only the youths are missing!

**Some of the attendees:

Government: Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development – Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (AGRITEX), Department of Research and Specialist Services (DR&SS) –Crop Breeding Institute and the Agricultural Research Council

Universities: Chinhoyi University of Technology

Non-Governmental Organisations: Oxfam, Africare, ZimACP, Norton Youth Fish Farmers Association, ORAP, WARESA, Environmental Management Trust, a Chegutu NGO, Women Advancement Trust

Networks: YPARD and FANRPAN

Individuals: Urban and small scale farmers

Media: Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and Radio Stations personnel