Agri Conference looks at ICT, entrepreneurship in boosting youth employment in Africa

Neil Palmer (CIAT) via Wikimedia Commons

The conference aims to foster an exchange among stakeholders on knowledge and best practices regarding the interfaces between agriculture, youth employment, entrepreneurship, ICT innovations, leading to prioritising interventions going forward.

Conference themes include youth entrepreneurship, digital innovation to overcome agriculture value-chain related restraints, and the future of agriculture work. The agenda will focus on sustainable solutions for decent youth employment in agriculture in Africa such as minimising drudgery while harnessing opportunities in agribusiness entrepreneurship and innovations to enhance productivity and competitiveness.

During the conference, FAO will introduce four digital applications aimed to help farmers improve their household nutrition, food production, income and livelihoods.

Delegates include policy makers, development partners, the private sector, youth and women organizations, civil society, researchers and academia.

Keynote speakers who will address the opening of the conference:

● Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda (TBC)

● Geraldine Mukeshimana, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Rwanda

● José Graziano da Silva, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

● Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture

● Li Yong, Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation

The event has been co-organised by FAO, the African Union and the Government of Rwanda.