Rural youth are the future of food security – yet, whilst the majority of the world’s food is produced by aging smallholder famers in developing countries, few young people from rural communities see a future in agriculture sector.
International Youth Day is observed every year on August 12 “to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community, and to celebrate the potential of youth as active partners in the global society.” With this year’s theme focusing on transforming food systems, including providing the capacity for resilient food systems and addressing potential harmful side-effects of the agriculture processes, we are highlighting the work that Aflatoun has been doing in order to encourage young people to enter and effectively take part in the labour market and agricultural economy. Among them, the MASO Programme and our ‘Transforming Agribusiness’ supplement (AflaYouth). Our work in this area is aimed at enabling youth in rural communities to become agricultural entrepreneurs, access new income streams, and uplift their communities, as well as contributing to promote the innovation that the global food system desperately needs.
