Grow talent, harvest a future

According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), GDP growth generated by agriculture is more effective in reducing poverty than growth in any other sector. In Sub-Saharan Africa, growth in agriculture reduces poverty up to eleven times faster than growth in other sectors. This is why Help a Child gives special attention to youth participation and empowerment in its agricultural programs.

The report ‘Grow talent, harvest a future’ contributes to the ongoing discussion on how to adequately tackle the immense employment challenges for the youth of today. In order to do this, practical experience from Help a Child’s youth projects in four East-African countries will be compared to a relevant academic framework of the IFAD, called ‘The rural landscape of youth opportunity.’ Most importantly, young people, that have joined Help a Child projects have provided much of the information that can be found in this report. Their insights, challenges, and dreams should always be part of the discussion. The report results in a number of recommendations that should be taken into account by both policymakers and practitioners working with (rural) youth in Sub-Saharan Africa.