Gender and youth

Rural women: Strengthening leadership and influence
Gender and youth

The leadership program dedicated to francophone rural women, launched last year, recently held its second edition. From May 27 to 31, 2024, in Munich, Germany, an intensive workshop brought together rural women from the 5 regions members of PAFO and their German counterparts from the German Rural Women’s Association (Dlv). Designed as an interactive training session, the workshop aimed to strengthen women’s decision-making skills within farmers’ organizations. Participants had the

Special feature: International Day of Potato 2024 – Harvesting diversity, feeding hope
Communication and ICTs

The International Day of the Potato 2024, May 30, is celebrated under the theme “Harvesting diversity, feeding hope,” bringing together innovation, resilience, and hope across Africa. YenKasa Africa celebrates this day by showcasing various potato stories, highlighting the continent’s diverse efforts to improve agriculture and food security. Potatoes are a key crop across diverse farming systems globally. As the third most consumed food crop globally, they contribute to the food

Young people hold the key to Africa’s green economy
Gender and youth

Globally, over 73 million young people are unemployed, with the issue most pronounced in rural areas of developing countries, particularly Africa. Annually, while 12 million youths enter the labour market, only 3 million jobs are created. As of 2020, one in five young people in Africa were neither working, studying, nor training. Producing nutritious food is increasingly difficult amid challenges like climate change, environmental degradation, and rising populations. The International

From city to soil: Young graduates seek a better life in rural areas
Gender and youth

While the global unemployment rate is declining, this hasn’t benefited everyone. Youth unemployment continues to be much higher than the rate for adults, with some 73 million young people all over the world struggling to find work and make a living. In cities worldwide, many university graduates are either jobless or do not earn enough to survive in an urban setting. This is why some young people are leaving the city and moving to

Strengthening rural value chains, one link at a time
Gender and youth

Well-oiled agricultural value chains build prosperous rural communities. Why? Because they allow small-scale farmers to make the most of their produce – and because each link along the chain can add value, enabling them to earn more for the final product. Value chains can be short or long. Take mushrooms, for example. They can be grown, picked, wiped clean, and then sold directly to the consumer. Alternatively, they can be

PAFO Women's Colleges: Empower, strengthen rural women, influence
Gender and youth

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, it is essential to reflect on the progress made in gender equality, particularly in critical sectors for global sustainability, such as agriculture. The commitment of PAFO to gender inclusivity in agriculture is a commendable step towards a more equitable and resilient future. By establishing the Continental Women’s College within PAFO, the pan-African organization aims to amplify the voices of rural women, ensuring they

Special Feature: International Women’s Day 2024 - Invest in Women: Accelerating Progress.
Gender and youth

The world unites this International Women’s Day 2024 under the theme Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. As the United Nations emphasizes, investing in women is not just the right thing to do. It is essential for solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Across Africa, women are leading the charge in various sectors, from agriculture and business to climate action and social justice. Yet, they continue to face significant

From foliage to fortune: The empowerment of women in Zondoma through non-timber forest products (NTFPs)
Gender and youth

In the heart of Burkina Faso, a silent yet powerful revolution is taking shape, transforming the lives of rural women and redefining the management of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). This is the story of the Association for Development through Existing Resources and Services in the Sahel (ADRESSE), an organization that has made the valorization of NTFPs in the Zondoma province a model for sustainable local development and women’s empowerment. This

“Women can do it too!” Young women in trades supported in first quiz day
Gender and youth

The cheers erupting from more than 500 students filling the auditorium at Kumasi Technical Institute in Ghana could be mistaken for cheers inspired by a football match. But instead of a football match, the cheers were in support of student participants in the first TVET Quiz competition, which took place on Jan. 18 and 19, 2024. The event was part of an effort to encourage young women in technical and

Identifying opportunities for youth in agrifood systems in Africa
Gender and youth

With a median age of 19, Africa has the youngest population in the world. This demographic dynamism presents a compelling case for governments, international organizations, the private sector, and more to prioritize the creation of professional opportunities for youth across the continent. At the event convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), AGRA and the CGIAR Gender Platform