Youth in Agriculture Summit

3 - 6 August 2015. Durban, South Africa. The purpose of the summit was to engage, motivate and support youth involvement in agri-business opportunities along various profitable and exciting agricultural value chains.

Some of the delegates that attended the Youth in Agriculture Summit for Southern Africa were from various Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and Agricultural organisations.

They included Her Excellency Dr. Stergomena, SADC Executive Secretary and CCARDESA Executive Director Prof. Timothy Simalenga. (right on the picture)

The main objectives of this summit was to involve youth in agri-business to transform and improve the agriculture sector in the SADC region. Other primary goals were to increase food security and improve rural livelihood.

Themes:

• Farming as a Business: Towards addressing poverty and unemployment for youth 

  

  Teams from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
  Botswana, Madagascar, Swaziland and South Africa,
  winners of the Hackathon project

• ICT Revolution in Agriculture: How youth can participate in and benefit from developments in ICTs in agriculture 
• Precision Agriculture and the role of youth in innovations and agribusiness solutions 
• Climate smart agriculture, mechanisation and innovative solutions for future agricultural practices
• Crop, Livestock and Fisheries value chains and markets: Oppotunities for agribusiness 

Youth Summit Presentations
Day 1

• CCARDESA Prof. T. Simalenga Unlocking business opportunities in agriculture for women and youth 
• FARA Dr. Y. Akinbamijo Repositioning the Youth in Southern Africa’s Agricultural Transformation  
• ASARECA Adeline Muheebwa ASARECA Vision and Experience on Youth in Agriculture in Central & East Africa 
• CORAF A model for promoting youth agripreneurship in west & central africa 
• FAO Dr. B. Hladka FAO Youth in Agriculture Activities in southern Africa 
• SADC Dr. M. Dzirikure Integrating Youth in Agriculture and Food Security: The Strategic Vision for SADC 

Day 2

• AQUACULTURE ENTERPRISE Abudala Napuru Developing commercial aquaculture in Southern Malawi 
• Technoserv Beekeeping as a Business 
• Smiling Through Investments Gcina Dlamini Fighting Youth Unemployment Through Entrepreneurial Projects At UNISWA ; Bean Seed Production And Agribusiness Fair 
• Honey Spring Faraji Shemsanga Eat honey, live healthy 
• FiBL Irene Kadzere ECOLOGICAL ORGANIC AGRICULTURE: Status and the Potential for Southern Africa 
• AGRA Involving the Youth in Agricultural Development 
• ARC Yolisa Pakele Training and Advisory Services in the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) 
• GRAIN SA Wandile Sihlobo Grain SA What are we about? 
• ANAFE Styanely Makuza Training, Business and Opportunities model for Empowering the Youth 
• ZFU Newton Garikayi Chari Young Farmer Profiling Project 
• ILRI Sikhalazo Dube Loosening the stranglehold of maize on the livestock feed industry – options from cassava residues 

Day 3

• AGRA Qureish noordin ,John Wakiumu and Rebbie Harawa Innovative Finance Initiatives 
• AGRA Boleslaw Stawicki Financing of inclusive business models in emerging and frontier economies 
• Land Bank Jane Masilela Financing Models 

There were several commitments made by the committee and organisation to transform youth

Field visit at an organic farming community garden.

in agriculture in the Southern Region. The committees made an emphasis on building the capacity of the youth through knowledge management, learning and information sharing across the region.
That will enable youth with training and equipping youth with skills and knowledge in agribusiness along the various value chain through science, technology and innovation.

Videos:
Profiling Ruramiso Mashumba: 29-year-old young farmer Ruramiso is producing sweet peas in Marondera, Mashonaland East.



Profiling Kundai Musarurwa: Born in Zimbabwe, studied in the States, coming back to Zim to be one of ZFU's most successfull and innovative Young Farmers. She is currently running a peri-urban farm in Ruwa, Harare, producing mushrooms, pigs and seedlings in a Hydroponic-system.



Profiling Bright Nezomba
Bright Nezomba Bright's story is something to remember. Losing his parents at a very young age he was raised by his grandmother in the Honde Valley, Manicaland. Although being interested in farming, Bright went to the mines when they discovered diamonds in the area. But soon he realized that farming is a better and more rewarding business to be in. Therefore he left the mines and came back to farm on his grandmother's land. To date this remarkable 25 years old young farmer has a plot of 1.5 hectares under production. Producing bananas on 0.7 hectares on a contract basis he is able to produce maize on the rest of the land. He managed to gather other young farmers and start to work in a producer group with them and make use of the advantages of group schemes in agricultural production.

 

Profiling Dominic Machingura Listen to an exciting account of an upcoming Young Farmer Dominic Machingura who after attending the inaugural Zimbabwe Youth Agriprenuership Summit 2014, decided to start his farming Journey.