Youth in Agribusiness the Focus of EU-Africa Business Forum

Posted on :Wednesday , 29th November 2017

The sixth EU-Africa Business Forum took place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire on Monday. "Investing in Job Creation for Youth", was the focal topic at the occasion this year.

African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina took part at the event and spoke extensively at a high level forum at the occasion. He called for a new thinking while dealing with the youth of the African continent.

“Young people aren’t looking for help, they are looking for the right environment to flourish,” he said.

He called for better avenues for the young of Africa in the Agricultural division in rural parts. There is a small number of young people engaged in agri-business and Adesina advocated for more investment and initiative to change this scenario, as he fully believes that agribusiness is the future for Africa.

Adesina talked about his faith in the African youth and the difference they could make in the advancement of the sector. African agriculturists have a average age of roughly 65 years, the continent also spends a mammoth US $35 billion every year on food imports despite the accessibility of 600 million hectors of uncultivated arable land.

“Agriculture is sexy, agriculture is cool. The farmers of tomorrow are not going to be wearing overalls, but will be young people equipped with digital technology to ply their trade. We must equip them appropriately,” said Adesina, the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate.

The belief that Africa could one day act as the whole world’s food basket is the logic behind the bank’s high 5 priorities. Which are Light up and power Africa, Feed Africa, Integrate Africa, Industrialize Africa, and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

Attainent of energy remains a primary objective, as it will help further all other developmental activities.

Daniel Kablan Duncan, Côte d'Ivoire's Vice-President, opened the gathering by talking about the significance of a solid partnership between Africa and Europe, as it would be an optimal tool in meeting Africa's objectives of growth and development.

The central thread of the forum was job creation, the projected focus of the EU-AU Summit taking place on November 29-30 in Abidjan, where the European External Investment Plan (EEIP) will be formally launched and endorsed by the African Union.

There was a consensus that Africa’s shared development objectives cannot be achieved without strong investment by African governments, private sector and development partners such as the EU.

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