Young People and Policy Narratives in sub -Saharan Africa
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Date
2012-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Future Agricultures Consortium
Abstract
Both agriculture and young people are high on African
development agendas. African governments, through
the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development
Programme, (CAADP) have agreed to commit at least
ten percent of their budgets to agriculture with the goal
of a six percent growth in the sector. By the end of 2010,
22 governments had prepared and signed regional
compacts setting out a strategy and investment plan for
agricultural development (IFPRI 2010). Greater attention
on African agriculture is also reflected in an increased
aid policy focus (de Janvry and Sadoulet 2012). The
underlying rationale is to increase productivity across
agro-industry so that agriculture can play its historic role
as an ‘engine’ of economic growth in the transition to
more industrialised economies. Interest in agriculture
has been further heightened by the food, fuel and
financial crises and the knock-on effects on both rural
producers and consumers. There are concerns too about
the impacts of the crises on young people, and in African
policy agendas this is reflected in increased attention to
high rates o f youth unemployment and
underemployment.
Description
Keywords
Young People, Policy Narratives, Sub-Saharan Africa