Africa’s Best Hope for Inclusive Growth

Agriculture is the backbone of Africa’s economy. In some countries on the continent it accounts for more than 25 percent of GDP. Growth in the sector can also impact poverty. In fact, economic growth in agriculture can be twice as effective in reducing poverty than growth in any other sector.

This sounds promising, but the formal sector economy in Africa is not growing fast enough to absorb the 11 million young people entering Africa’s labour market every year. The reality is that agriculture and the informal sector will be the only pathways for the majority of these young people in the next two decades. Transforming agriculture so it is more profitable for young people will be vital.

It’s not only a matter of necessity, it’s also a matter of opportunity. Agriculture in Africa is not yet transformative — Africa still spends about $40 billion annually on food imports. There is significant opportunity for youth to innovate, to diversify, and to increase food productivity.

There are already a number of young people leading this transformation– like Laetitia Mukungu, who founded the African Rabbit Center at the age of 14. The centre makes use of every part of the rabbit, from meat to fur, even droppings and urine for manure and pesticide. One female rabbit makes more than $1,000. With some of that profit, Laetitia is creating a school for orphans in Kenya.

Our understanding of agriculture also needs to evolve to include, not only the entire value chain ‘from farm to fork,’ but also science, innovation and technology. Today’s young people don’t want to be farmers, they want to be ‘digital agripreneurs’.

This makes sense if you consider that Africa is increasingly going digital. Two in three Africans already have mobile phones. The power of a phone in every hand in Africa could be very disruptive. With their phones, young people can learn farming techniques through digital videos, access financial services, find buyers and connect with their peers to sell in bulk to get better price. With the power to overcome isolation, technology is changing the entire conversation about agricultrual infrastructure and gender barriers in Africa.

While promising, we know that technology is just a means, not an end. Good leadership and good governance are essential for inclusive growth. That’s why it’s  important to equip the next generation of leaders, particularly young female leaders, with transferable skills so they are able to truly take advantage of the opportunities that exist in agriculture.

Dina Randrianasolo is speaking at The Walrus Talks: Africa’s Next Generation, a collaboration with The Walrus Foundation and McGill University in Montreal. Other speakers include Innocent Nzayisenga and Loise Mbugua, both MasterCard Foundation Scholars studying at McGill University. Watch the talks live at thewalrus.ca/live/.