Nancy Imali
October 6, 2015
African youths living in rural areas have been challenged to embrace agriculture as a way of improving livelihoods and eradicating poverty across the continent.
The Head of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CADDP), Dr. Augustin Wambo Yamdjue made straight this statement at the on-going five-day Inaugural meeting of Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“African youth are the backbone of everything we try to do and it is time for them to stand up and claim their space.” said Dr. Yamdjue.
He further urged the youth to refrain from moving from rural areas and increasing the bulge of people living in shanty towns in the cities.
I can see how the overall transformation is taking place. I believe in reversal of goals. Let the youth stay in the village where the possibility to create sustainable livelihood system for themselves and their families through farming is realistic.” said Dr. Yamdjue.
The CADDP boss further emphasized the need for countries to invest more in rural transformation and territorial planning as a way of decreasing rural-urban migration.
According to him, CADDP has a strong programme known as Rural Futures, a framework that the organization is promoting to accompany the transformation of rural areas in Africa.
He further explained that for regions to be successful in agriculture, other factors relating to it have to be put in place.
If indeed we have to tap the youth into embracing agriculture, then rural areas have to provide the opportunities that people are looking for in the towns, ranging from basic social services to agricultural financing.” Dr. Yamdjue added.
The Rural Futures is a flagship program of NEPAD that is a people-centered rural transformation based on equity and inclusiveness, where rural youth can develop their potential and reach their aspirations, whilst securing environmental sustainability.