scholarly journals Model of Success: Extension Services Helping Ugandan Youth Find A Career in Agriculture

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-13
Author(s):  
Kevan Lamm ◽  
Chandler Mulvaney ◽  
Alexa Lamm ◽  
Kristin Davis ◽  
Fallys Masambuka-Kanchewa
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Youth Organizations ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Advisory Services ◽  
Entrepreneurial Spirit ◽  
Citrus Groves ◽  
Sub Saharan

As the world continues to experience a population boom amidst growing food insecurity concerns, the need for well-trained and competent youth in agriculture-related industries is on the rise in Sub-Saharan African countries, specifically Uganda. With 78 percent of Uganda’s population below the age of thirty, the number of unemployed and unskilled workers presents a challenge to a country that relies heavily on jobs within the agricultural sector to thrive. Due to the increased number of unskilled youths, extension-based services such as the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) and the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) are needed to connect with youth organizations to provide training and direction for those seeking careers in agriculture. This study sought to better understand the phenomena of competency development through various communication channels used to facilitate leadership development and agricultural literacy within a youth organization known as Nokia Farming Agricultural Innovation Platform (NOFAIP). A single instrumental case study was conducted to assess the career preparedness of youth within the NOFAIP group and opportunities that exist for employment within agriculture-related industries. Results found that upon receiving training from UFAAS, the NOFAIP group had increased their credibility amongst Ugandan farming communities and supported the growth of agricultural competencies, such as soil testing, using backpack sprayers to spread fertilizers, and managing citrus groves. Through hands-on experiences and engagement with appropriate training, the NOFAIP group established communication channels that were critical to experience personal growth and the invigoration of an entrepreneurial spirit within agriculture.

ENHANCEMENT OF YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ADVISORY SERVICES THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING: A SOLUTION TO UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA

2021 ◽  
pp. 22-30
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Advisory Services ◽  
Extension System ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sub Saharan

The unemployment rate in Nigeria and other Sub Saharan African countries keep surging year after year despite the need for human resources in several sectors. Nigeria records a large number of young graduates from tertiary institutions most of whom find it difficult to get white collar jobs. Despite this ongoing, human resource which is needed for economic development remains under exploited. Young people have a sense of responsibility which makes it easy for them to take up opportunities that will lead to individual and societal development. Unemployed youths who have interest in agriculture and the extension system can be recruited into this sector to achieve sustainable agricultural and rural development in these areas. Capacity development is essential in this scenario to absorb these group of people into the agricultural sector, thus, reducing employment rate. Unqualified young persons can carry out the functions or duties of agricultural extension advisory services if their technical and knowledge skills in line with the subject matter is developed.

scholarly journals African agriculture in the context of COVID-19: Finding salvation in the devil

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 302-310
Author(s):  
Guy Blaise Nkamleu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Food System ◽  
Free Trade Area ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

The world is facing unprecedented challenges from COVID-19, which is disrupting lives and livelihoods. The pandemic could profoundly affect the African continent and wipe out hard-won development gains, as sub-Saharan Africa heads into its first recession in 25 years. Beyond the multispatial impact of the coronavirus in Africa, its effects on the agriculture and food system is of particular interest, as food security could be the most affected area and, at the same time, agriculture could be the sector that could help African economies recover quicker from the impact of COVID19. This paper supports the view that COVID-19, as devilish as it may be, offers an opportunity to revive interest in the agricultural sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed immense pressures on African countries to raise additional resources, and consequently Africa’s growing public debt is again coming back to the centre stage of the global debate. The conversation on African debt sustainability has begun to dominate the scene and will flood the debate in the near term. While the observed, growing calls for debt relief for African countries are legitimate, we support in this paper that one should not divert attention from the long-term solutions needed to strengthen Africa’s resilience. These long-term solutions lie where they always have: in agriculture. With COVID-19, shipping agricultural inputs and food products from other continents to Africa has become disrupted and is accelerating the trend towards shortening supply chains. This will leave a potential market for inputs and food produced on the continent. COVID-19, together with the launching of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), have aligned the stars in favour of a decisive transformation of the agriculture sector on the continent. Agriculturalists and development experts need to be aware of their responsibility at this time, as they need to advocate for the topic of agricultural development to return to the centre and the heart of the agenda of discussions on how to respond to the consequences of Covid-19 in Africa. In this sense, and unexpectedly, COVID-19 is an opportunity for the agricultural sector.

scholarly journals A Review of Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services in sub-Saharan African Countries: Progress with Private Sector Involvement

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Nwafor ◽  
Ifeoma Nwafor
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Systems Development ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Advisory Services ◽  
Development Framework ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Agricultural extension and advisory services in Africa have significant impact on food security as well as economic and social development. Recent moves towards a pluralistic delivery system, including the emergence of private-sector led initiatives in many countries are subject of policy and academic discourse. Our study used an adapted, fit-for-purpose market systems development framework to review available research in extension and advisory services in selected sub-Sahara Africa countries. Using a literature survey methodology, we report evidence of multiple actors in extension delivery, findings that point towards evolution towards mixed delivery as well as objectives. While there are significant uptake of cost-recovery approaches among commercially-oriented farmers, many smallholder farmers still depended on donor-funded services. Our review adds to existing knowledge through incorporating a market systems development framework, which extends the often-used willingness to pay approach, and highlights the need for merger of the public and private-sector objectives to achieve developmental outcomes.

EU Sanitary Standards and Sub-Saharan African Agricultural Exports: A Case Study of the Livestock Sector in East Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melaku Geboye Desta
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Poor People ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Livestock Products ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

For most sub-Saharan African countries, participation in international trade almost always means exporting primary, often agricultural, products and importing machinery and other manufacturing goods. In appreciation of the detrimental economic effects of this situation on SSA countries, the EU has had one of the oldest and most generous preferential schemes for the benefit of these countries. This article argues, based on detailed analysis of EU food import law and its application to livestock products coming from East Africa, that these otherwise generous preferential schemes have been deprived of any effect by the stringent sanitary and phytosanitary requirements that are beyond the capacity of the producers in these countries to satisfy. It further argues that the current approach of the WTO system regarding SPS issues, which leaves countries free to impose standards of their choosing without any regard for the impact of such measures on the lives of producers in other countries, only accords a convenient blanket with which to wrap measures otherwise motivated by protectionist interests. It concludes that the only way the EU or any other country could support the SSA agricultural sector and the large number of poor people working in it is by helping governments and producers to enhance their production standards.

Water, Food Security, and Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 384-399
Author(s):  
Sinmi Abosede
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Scarce Water ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Access To Food

Water is essential for food production and it plays an important role in helping countries achieve food security. The effect of climate change poses significant threats to agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 95% of agriculture is rain-fed. Changes in weather patterns in the form of prolonged drought and severe flooding, in addition to poor water and land agricultural management practices, has resulted in a significant decline in crop and pasture production in several African countries. The agricultural sector in the region faces the challenge of using the existing scarce water resources in a more efficient way. Most of the countries have failed to achieve food self-sufficiency and rely on imports to meet the demand for food. Agricultural trade can play a significant role in helping countries in Africa achieve food security by increasing availability and access to food in countries that are experiencing food insecurity.

scholarly journals Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Nigeria in Context of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
O. K. Fadele ◽  
T. O. Amusan ◽  
C. O. Ariyo ◽  
A. O. Afolabi ◽  
N. E. Onwuegbunam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Chain Structure ◽  
Food Supply Chain ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Agricultural Mechanization ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Post-harvest losses and food shortage has remained endemic to most Sub-Saharan African communities. The reality of COVID-19 in these countries has unfurled the weakness of agricultural sector in containing long lasting effect of such natural disaster. In most developed countries, the impact of COVID-19 is minimal on the agricultural sector because of their functional robust food supply chain structure unlike most developing countries. The effort of most African countries in this sector is yet to come to fruition; this will not happen without sustainable agricultural mechanization. This would further enhance food supply chain mechanism in the agricultural sector. In this paper, the impact of COVID-19 on food supply in Nigeria was discussed, as well as the proffered approaches in combating similar future disaster.

scholarly journals The Long-Run Impacts of Temperature and Rainfall on Agricultural Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 595
Author(s):  
Mirza Nouman Ali Talib ◽  
Masood Ahmed ◽  
Mirza Muhammad Naseer ◽  
Beata Slusarczyk ◽  
József Popp
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Agricultural Growth ◽  
Distributed Lag ◽  
Autoregressive Distributed Lag ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Sub Saharan

Agricultural sector is significant for Sub-Saharan African countries and is highly exposed and sensitive to climate change. This study aims to investigate the overall long-run impacts of temperature and precipitation on agricultural growth in 32 Sub-Saharan African countries. As proposed by Chudik and Pesaran, our estimations are based on augmented autoregressive distributed lag(ARDL) modelling and panel estimators with multifactor error structures. We estimate the “dynamic common correlated long-run effects (DCCE)” through the cross-sectionally augmented distributed lag (CS-DL) approach as well as through the cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL). For robustness check, we also consider the cross-sectionally augmented error correction method (CS-ECM) and the common dynamic process augmented mean group (AMG). The study suggests that rising temperatures have significantly developed a negative long-term relationship with the agricultural growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, the long-run effect of precipitation is less important and not statistically significant in most estimations. According to the CS-DL approach, the negative impact of a 1°Crise in temperature could be as high as a 4.2 to 4.7 percentage point decrease in the agricultural growth rate. The results indicate that the warming climate has considerably damaged the agrarian activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, necessitating adaptive climate measures to avoid any food scarcity or economic stagnation in agricultural driven African countries.

Ghana: the State of Agriculture and Prospects for Food Security in the Context of Achieving SDGs

2018 ◽  
pp. 16-31
Author(s):  
Tatyana Denisova
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Socioeconomic Development ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Careful Study ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Government

For the first time in Russian African studies, the author examines the current state of agriculture, challenges and prospects for food security in Ghana, which belongs to the group of African countries that have made the most progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals adopted by UN member states in 2015 with a view of achieving them by 2030. The SDGs include: ending poverty in all its forms everywhere (Goal 1); ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture (2); ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages (3), etc. These goals are considered fundamental because the achievement of a number of other SDGs – for example, ensuring quality education (4), achieving gender equality (5), ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (12), etc. – largely depends on their implementation. Ghana was commended by the world community for the significant reduction in poverty, hunger and malnutrition between 2000 and 2014, i.e. for the relatively successful implementation of the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000–2015) – the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. However, SDGs require more careful study and planning of implementation measures. In order to achieve the SDGs, the Government of Ghana has adopted a number of programs, plans and projects, the successful implementation of which often stumbles upon the lack of funding and lack of coordination between state bodies, private and public organizations, foreign partners – donors and creditors, etc., which are involved in the processes of socioeconomic development of Ghana. The author determines the reasons for the lack of food security in Ghana, gives an assessment of the state of the agricultural sector, the effective development of which is a prerequisite for the reduction of poverty and hunger, primarily due to the engagement of a significant share (45%) of the economically active population in this sector. The study shows that the limited growth in food production is largely due to the absence of domestic markets and necessary roads, means of transportation, irrigation and storage infrastructure, as well as insufficient investment in the agricultural sector, rather than to a shortage of fertile land or labor.

Crowdsourcing Covid-19 signals in sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging digital contributor networks for participatory surveillance of Covid-19 symptoms and deaths (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngozi A Erondu ◽  
Sagal A Ali ◽  
Mohamed Ali ◽  
Schadrac C Agbla
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Local Networks ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

BACKGROUND In sub-Saharan Africa, underreporting of cases and deaths has been attributed to various factors including, weak disease surveillance, low health-seeking behaviour of flu like symptoms, and stigma of Covid-19. There is evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spread mimics transmission patterns of other countries across the world. Since the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way research can be conducted and in light of restrictions on travel and risks to in-person data collection, innovative approaches to collecting data must be considered. Nearly 50% of Africa’s population is a unique mobile subscriber and it is one of the fastest growing smart-phone marketplaces in the world; hence, mobile phone platforms should be considered to monitor Covid-19 trends in the community. OBJECTIVE We demonstrate the use of digital contributor platforms to survey individuals about cases of flu-like symptoms and instances of unexplained deaths in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. METHODS Rapid cross-sectional survey of individuals with severe flu and pneumonia symptoms and unexplained deaths in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and Zimbabwe RESULTS Using a non-health specific information platform, we found COVID-19 signals in five African countries, specifically: •Across countries, nearly half of the respondents (n=739) knew someone who had severe flu or pneumonia symptoms in recent months. •One in three respondents from Somalia and one in five from Zimbabwe respondents said they knew more than five people recently displaying flu and/or pneumonia symptoms. •In Somalia there were signals that a large number of people might be dying outside of health facilities, specifically in their homes or in IDP or refugee camps. CONCLUSIONS Existing digital contributor platforms with local networks are a non-traditional data source that can provide information from the community to supplement traditional government surveillance systems and academic surveys. We demonstrate that using these distributor networks to for community surveys can provide periodic information on rumours but could also be used to capture local sentiment to inform public health decision-making; for example, these insights could be useful to inform strategies to increase confidence in Covid19 vaccine. As Covid-19 continues to spread somewhat silently across sub-Saharan Africa, regional and national public health entities should consider expanding event-based surveillance sources to include these systems.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document