Quick facts
• Africa is home to 60 per cent of unconverted arable land resources (UNEP 2016). • Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices and technologies can be applied in a diversity of combinations according to local environmental and climatic conditions of the areas exploited, in order to enhance productivity, better livelihoods and re-establish ecosystem services (Bunning, McDonagh and Rioux 2011).
• Agriculture accounts for 61 per cent of Africa’s employment and 25 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP). Between 2001 and 2016, it accounted for 9.16 per cent of total exports (Viljoen 2017).
• The world market for post-consumer scrap metal is estimated at 400 million tons annually and around 175 million tons annually for paper and cardboard. This presents economic opportunities that youth can tap into (World Bank 2012).
3.7 Conclusion
Agriculture can be a key pillar in Africa’s green economy because it already drives a large percentage of the continent’s economy. It currently accounts for 61 per cent of employment, 25 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and between 2001 and 2016, accounted for 9.16 per cent of total exports (Viljoen 2017). Meanwhile, many young people are smallholders whose livelihood depends on agriculture. A greener agricultural system will lead to higher earnings, replenishment of key ecosystem services, decent jobs and
References
Adjognon, S.G. and van Soest, D. (2019). Can Payments for Ecosystem Services deliver food security outcomes? Agricultural and Applied Economics Association 2019 Annual Meeting. Georgia, 21-23 July. Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/291131/files/Abstracts_19_05_10_12_35_30_94__138_220_130_123_0.pdf. Bezu, S. and Holden, S. (2014). Are rural youth in Ethiopia abandoning agriculture? World Development 64, 259-272.
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Branca, G., McCarthy, N., Lipper, L., and Jolejole, M.C. (2011). Climate-Smart Agriculture: A Synthesis of Empirical Evidence of Food Security and Mitigation Benefits from Improved Cropland Management. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
http://www.fao.org/3/i2574e/i2574e00.pdf. Bunning, S., McDonagh, J. and Rioux, J. (2011). Land degradation assessments in drylands. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
http://www.fao.org/3/a-mc981e.pdf.
Chijioke, E. (2013). Waste Management in Africa: An Invitation to Wealth Generation. International Conference on Waste Management and Environment. Kuala Lumpur, 26-27 August 2013.
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Deininger, K. (2003). Land Policies for Growth and Poverty Reduction. World Bank Policy Research Report. Washington, DC: World Bank; Oxford: Oxford University Press.
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/ en/485171468309336484/pdf/multi0page.pdf. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2008). Climate Change and Food Security: A framework Document. Rome.
http://www.fao.org/3/k2595e/k2595e00.pdf. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2013). Climate Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. Rome.
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Fund for Agricultural Development, United Nations Children's Fund, World Food Programme and World Health Organization (2019). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019: Safeguarding against economic slowdowns and downturns. Rome, FAO.
http://www.fao.org/3/ca5162en/ca5162en.pdf. International Labour Organization (2018). World Employment Social Outlook: Greening with Jobs. Geneva.
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Kosec, K., Ghebru, H., Holtemeyer, B., Mueller, V. and Schmidt, E. (2018). The Effect of Land Access on Youth Employment and Migration Decisions: Evidence from Rural Ethiopia. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 100(3), 931-954.
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Liniger, H., Studer, R.M., Hauert, C. and Gurtner, M. (2011). Sustainable Land Management in Practice: Guidelines and Best Practices for Sub-Saharan Africa. Critchley, W. (ed.). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
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livelihoods, a smaller ecological footprint, increased resilience to climate change, and enhanced food security. This can be a golden opportunity for African youth to engage in sustainable farming that will lead to a greener Africa. However, this will also require strong legal and institutional frameworks which will be possible only with genuine political commitment on the part of decision-makers. Young people can infuse unique insights into challenges related to land resources, and in the process, pave the way for earning decent livelihoods through sustainable land management.
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Restoring our Land
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