Abstract
Young women and men are the largest demographic group in most African countries and are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. At the same time, African agri-businesses have the potential to change the quality and quantity of work opportunities available for them. The inclusion of unemployed, and underemployed, youth in new jobs in this growing sector is not guaranteed and requires innovative ways of supporting this group to overcome barriers and access new on-farm and off-farm job opportunities. Youth have the potential to bring new skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, potentially playing a catalytic role in more sustainable, inclusive, and profitable agri-business.
Collaborating with agri-businesses to promote inclusivity in their value chains is a key to developing new practices that support youth inclusion. The 2SCALE programme, the largest incubator and accelerator of inclusive agri-businesses in Africa, has been refining its approach to include young women and men as part of its aspiration to facilitate the establishment of a more profitable, inclusive, and nutritious food systems. The 2SCALE demand-driven and public-private partnership-based approach to youth inclusion has demonstrated that it is possible to mainstream youth into more skilled production and create non-farm jobs for youth that support value chain transformation. By sharing 9 emerging practices, this practice brief aims to improve the effectiveness of how public-partnerships with agri-businesses can create work opportunities for youth within the agri-food system.
Additional resources
To explore SNV’s broader work on youth employment and systems transformation, see the resources below. The YEE Engagement Strategy outlines how SNV works with young people and partners to drive systemic change, while the YEE best practices highlight pathways to youth employment in the agri-food sector.
For more information
Contact yee@snv.org