* To be implemented by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) with support from Mastercard
* Over 50% of the population in the country are young people. If we leave them behind, the country will never develop
* That is why more programmes are now geared towards young people because they have the energy, are creative and passionate
By Moses Nyirenda, MANA
Government has launched a five-year project dubbed Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Agriculture (YEFFA), which is targeting more youth to be involved in agriculture if the sector is to develop.
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At the launch on Wednesday in Lilongwe, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale said the project will be implemented by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) with support from Mastercard.
Kawale said the youth are in large population and have various capabilities that would help to develop the agriculture sector.
“Over 50% of the population in the country are young people,” he said. “If we leave them behind, the country will never develop — that is why right now as you can see more programmes are now geared towards young people because they have the energy, are creative and passionate.
“We need to harness all those assets of the youth and put them in the agriculture sector so that they can contribute meaningfully to the future of the sector,” Kawale said, adding that his Ministry was committed to supporting the youth in different ways — which include providing them with loans so that they should venture in commercial agriculture and help in achieving some of the pillars stipulated in MW2063 national vision.
Kawale applauded AGRA for coming up with the YEFFA project, saying that the project would empower more young people to venture into agriculture.
“Over 251,000 young people are going to have access to financing from Mastercard through AGRA’s new project,” he said. “At the end of the five year programme, we are expecting to see young people who are now economically empowered to go into agricultural production as well as value addition and the families are going to develop and the country will also develop.”
AGRA Country Director, Eluphy Nyirenda said they decided to come up with their new project to support the youth with resources in order for them to help in boosting the countrys agri-food system.
“About 50% of Malawians are below the age of 35 and these are the ones that are loitering around looking for jobs or financing to start up their businesses,” she said. “It was based on this background to come up with the project so that we can contribute to agri-food system by bringing on board the youth who are passionate about agriculture.”
The launch of YEFFA project was patronized by youth, officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Youth & Sports and AGRA, among other government and private sector dignitaries.
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