Engaging the Youth in Agricultural Production for Food Security and

Income Generation

Mwesigwa Joshua IanMakerere university, P.O.Box 7062, Kampala

(E-mail: ian.mwesigwa93@gmail.com)

Agriculture in Uganda

• Agriculture is Uganda’s economic back bone.

• Contributed 23.9% of total GDP (UBOS 2013).

• Employs over 70 percent of the Ugandan population.

• Agriculture is mainly done at a subsistence level with little surplus for sale and very low value addition.

• Majority of Ugandan’s in Agriculture are aged above 50 years.

Youth in Uganda• A Youth is an individual in the 15-35 age bracket (definition as per Uganda’s constitution)

• Constitute 78 percent Uganda’s 33.3 million population.

• Unemployment rate is 80%. (with urban youth unemployment being higher than rural youth unemployment).

• Youth are characterised by a high rural to urban exodus resulting into a net labor drain from the agricultural sector.

Youth and agriculture

• As the farmer population is aging there is need to facilitate sustainability in agriculture production.

• Over 50 % of the youths have no jobs, agriculture can play a significant role in impacting youth unemployment

• Agriculture can provide productive alternatives for the engagement of youths to reduce crime and other social problems.

4Youth and Agriculture

Agriculture is a source of employment for the youth

“School gardens impart knowledge and skills on agriculture

“I earned Ushs 300,000 within three weeks from raising pasture seedlings. I was able to pay for my University requirements”, Mawanda”, Wakiso district

Implementation efforts to engage youth in agriculture.

Youth Policy (2001).(comprehensive and explicit policy to give direction and strategy on youth empowerment)

Increased Financing (credit) by both Government and Financial/Microfinance institutions.(youth venture capital Fund of Ushs 25 billion and Youth Livelihoods Programme was started for a disbursement of Ushs 265 billion)

Role of NAADS and NARO.(research)

Role of the rural youth Curriculum

The challenges

• Negative mindsets of the youth.

• Manipulation by Politicians.

• Climate Change and its associated impacts

• Poor information management.

• Absence of value addition to agricultural output.

• Inaccess to Finance and Credit.

Field visits to successful farmers will change the mindset of the youth

Recommended implementation efforts

• Increased government investment in research.(More funds to NARO).

• Supporting formation of Savings Credit and Cooperative Societies and their subsidization.

• Employment of Agri-Finance experts by Micro Finance institutions.

• Mechanization of Agriculture.(provision of tractors)

• Inclusion of more practical Agricultural courses in University Programmes.

• Improved and easier access to resources such as land and capital

• Improve accessibility to training and capacity Development (value addition activities like food processing and packaging)

Acknowledgements

Technical and financial support from:

•Eastern Africa Agricultural Productivity Project (EAAPP)

•National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI)

•African Livestock Conference & exhibition (ALiCE 2014)

•Makerere University

Thank you for listening