Government moves to support youths in Agriculture, launches ‘The Youth Week of Activities’

The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) has launched an initiative to support the youths in Agriculture that will run till August 12.

This Youth Initiative is dubbed ‘The Youth Week of Activities, 2021’ and has been launched by the state minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi at the Media Centre today.

According to Nyirabashitsi, the activities done within this period will seek to find solutions to the questions and problems by the young people which are in line with the theme and domestically motivated.

“You are called upon to get involved and empower the youth through Innovative projects, Incubation centres, Building skills and capacity, Financing of ideas that motivate young people while considering inclusion and accessibility in the interventions so that no young person is left behind,” Nyirabashitsi said.

She added that a number of activities have been lined up to raise awareness and advocate for the youth, to position young people and elicit them to think innovatively about what can be done to transform the broken food systems and ensure food safety and a world free from hunger and malnutrition.

Most activities will be virtually conducted on various platforms due to the current pandemic situation with a few physical keeping in line with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by the Ministry of Health and are expected to run beyond August 12.

The Chairperson National Youth Council, Mr Jacob Eyeru, said that this move is intended to bring a number of youths together, share ideas and also table their propositions to the government on what needs to be done.

The presence of COVID-19 hit a lot of the businesses of the youths which thereby the government put 200 Billion to save such businesses. Eyeru commended the government for its efforts but asked that this money should be increased to at least 1trillion.

“Government should invest money in building youths who are farmers, to aid in showing the rest of the youths that farming is key and doesn’t lie. Though, this doesn’t erase other problems that are still existent,” Eyeru added.

Minister Nyirabashitsi agreed that in order to enhance the picture of the global food systems, it is important for the government to facilitate the involvement of youths in these discussions.

Against this therefore, the minister noted that there is a need to enhance youth innovations for active engagement to understand the entire system for them to take appropriate actions.

“The young people need to innovate, seek out local solutions to the problems that affect them. Innovation and new technologies, combined with traditional knowledge will attract and enable youths to be drivers of improvement in Agriculture and food systems,” she said.

Nyirabashitsi revealed that the government will support mechanisms that ensure youths make informed decisions on food choices through increased training and education on the sustainable options for both individuals and the environment.

This, the government will achieve through establishment of demonstration farms at parish level, provision of adequate capacity development and promoting e-agriculture and use of ICTs.

This whole initiative comes a few days to the celebration of the International Youth Day (IYD) to be commemorated under the theme, “Youth innovations for Transformation of Food Systems and Sustainable Human Health.”

During the International Youth Day commemorations, the Government shall engage with UN agencies, Civil Society organisations, youth organisations and the private sector to organize activities that target the youths and their interests.

Every year, Uganda joins the United Nations (UN) and the entire world to commemorate International Youth Day (IYD), a day which was designated in 1999.

This was after the General Assembly resolution 54/120 endorsed by the recommendation made during the Conference of Ministers of Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared IYD.

This day was designated by the UN for governments and partners to draw attention to issues surrounding the youth; their desires and aspirations, take stock of achievements but also celebrate and recognise their contributions to national development.