Youth and agriculture: Any country’s future
Agriculture is a key industry for any nation in order to be self-sufficient. In this feature, we analyse how essential it is for the youth to spearhead the industry and remain active players.
Ester Kamati
The youth represent the future and the world needs to start seeing agriculture in the same light. Even more so, when young people become hands-on in food production, a more promising future can be foreseen. These are the sentiments of local leadership in government as well as youth activists for securing agricultural opportunities.
The founder of the Women in Agriculture platform, Helvi Shindume, believes that higher agricultural growth is necessary for sustainable food security in the country. Young people have an active role to play in the production of food, which will ensure that not only their family is nourished, but their neighbour as well. In so doing, youth are equipped with better knowledge and technology to grow the industry while ensuring that even if the country has 101 problems, food production isn’t one.
Annually, 89 000 tonnes of horticultural products are consumed locally, at a total value of about N$800 million, while local production stands at 82 000 tonnes. This is according to statistics shared by Agri-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) managing director Lungameni Lucas in March this year. Although this looks like a good figure, about 62% of this local produce is exported, which means there is still a lot of room for new farmers to make their contribution.
From October 2020 to March 2021, there were no locally produced onions or potatoes on the shelves of local supermarkets. According to AMTA, the supply of apples was also sluggish, while a shortfall was noticed between the demand and supply of onions and carrots. This goes to show that sustainability in food production has room for improvement and this is an opportunity for young farmers to look into.
Youthful Otjozondjupa governor James Uerikua has on countless occasions advised young people to take advantage of agricultural potential not only to ensure food security but as a feasible income-generating opportunity.
Otjiwarongo farmer Monica Gwala stated in a recent interview that agriculture is normally seen as work that is only done by less successful or uneducated individuals, a perception which needs to change in order to truly be on the way to sustainability.
Gwala, a horticulturist and entrepreneur, said: “There is a lot of obstacles in farming; it’s never an easy thing, but the best part of it is when you produce, when your crops come up. You see a seed that you have planted and after a few months you have crops and this is something coming out of your soil and something that you have done yourself.”
She added that it is rewarding to be able to feed her family and friends through agriculture. “It’s such a great feeling when you harvest from your garden. It’s a more content, happy feeling when you are able to feed yourself, feed your neighbours, your friends and family and if it even comes out that you start making sales from it, it becomes more of a blessing.”
The youth represent the future and the world needs to start seeing agriculture in the same light. Even more so, when young people become hands-on in food production, a more promising future can be foreseen. These are the sentiments of local leadership in government as well as youth activists for securing agricultural opportunities.
The founder of the Women in Agriculture platform, Helvi Shindume, believes that higher agricultural growth is necessary for sustainable food security in the country. Young people have an active role to play in the production of food, which will ensure that not only their family is nourished, but their neighbour as well. In so doing, youth are equipped with better knowledge and technology to grow the industry while ensuring that even if the country has 101 problems, food production isn’t one.
Annually, 89 000 tonnes of horticultural products are consumed locally, at a total value of about N$800 million, while local production stands at 82 000 tonnes. This is according to statistics shared by Agri-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA) managing director Lungameni Lucas in March this year. Although this looks like a good figure, about 62% of this local produce is exported, which means there is still a lot of room for new farmers to make their contribution.
From October 2020 to March 2021, there were no locally produced onions or potatoes on the shelves of local supermarkets. According to AMTA, the supply of apples was also sluggish, while a shortfall was noticed between the demand and supply of onions and carrots. This goes to show that sustainability in food production has room for improvement and this is an opportunity for young farmers to look into.
Youthful Otjozondjupa governor James Uerikua has on countless occasions advised young people to take advantage of agricultural potential not only to ensure food security but as a feasible income-generating opportunity.
Otjiwarongo farmer Monica Gwala stated in a recent interview that agriculture is normally seen as work that is only done by less successful or uneducated individuals, a perception which needs to change in order to truly be on the way to sustainability.
Gwala, a horticulturist and entrepreneur, said: “There is a lot of obstacles in farming; it’s never an easy thing, but the best part of it is when you produce, when your crops come up. You see a seed that you have planted and after a few months you have crops and this is something coming out of your soil and something that you have done yourself.”
She added that it is rewarding to be able to feed her family and friends through agriculture. “It’s such a great feeling when you harvest from your garden. It’s a more content, happy feeling when you are able to feed yourself, feed your neighbours, your friends and family and if it even comes out that you start making sales from it, it becomes more of a blessing.”
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