The Haller Farmers App, developed by UK-based Haller Foundation, could appeal to the African youths to go into farming. The free app provides simplified, environmentally friendly information on growing indigenous vegetables, identifying and controlling pests, and easy and affordable solutions to soil nutrition, water management, and erosion control.
Engaging young people in making farming profitable and productive farming through new technologies such as land credits and markets and agricultural policies and programs can help motivate them to pursue careers in the agricultural sector.
Read the full story at Borgen Magazine
More on engaging women and youth engagement in agriculture:
The potential for rice sector development in Sub-Saharan Africa and opportunities for women and youth
Rice-based agri-food systems are increasingly gaining importance in achieving food and nutrition security and economic prosperity in the region. More than 100 million livelihoods currently depend on rice and is the sole source of dietary energy in West Africa. It is also the third most important crop across SSA.
Gender inequality significantly contributes to this food insecurity. African women play a large and growing role in the region’s food systems and constitute up to 80% of the agriculture workforce in some countries. In SSA, agriculture employs over 60% of working women who are responsible for production of up to 80% of household food consumption and also for sale of the surplus in local markets. They handle most operations, such as seeding, transplanting, weeding, harvest and cleaning for cereals like maize, wheat and rice, and also homestead gardening of pulses, vegetables and fruits, both for household consumption and for local markets. The role of youth, especially young women, is also pivotal with over 65% of the population in SSA under 25 years of age.
Rice Crop Manager spurs women and the youth to embrace digital technologies in Odisha
The Rice Crop Manager (RCM) is a tailor-made, web-based tool that follows site-specific nutrient management principles. It gives rice farmers recommendations for applying the right amount of essential nutrients for their crops at the right time, along with weed and nursery management recommendations.
RCM has proven to be an effective farmer-friendly digital tool to increase productivity and incomes of rice farmers through balanced fertilizer management. The two case studies presented here highlight how women and young people have used RCM on their farm and successfully reduced their input costs, increased yields and the net benefits.
Giving Cambodia’s youth a taste of rice science
IRRI collaborates with USAID in engaging the youth into rice science while showcasing IRRI’s innovation and leadership in breeding, varietal development, climate change adaptation, and yield gap reduction.
The fourth Cambodia Science and Engineering Festival was a large celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. During the three-day event, the IRRI Cambodia Team engaged more than a thousand students and other young professionals through various interactive activities highlighting rice science.
