By Abdi Ali
Published July 15, 2019
Without effective policies and investments millions of youth around the globe face a bleak future.
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A report by United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) shows that about 780 million young people in rural, semi-rural and peri-urban areas are prone to poverty, being held back by factors like lack of training and skills, limited access to land and credit, and restricted links to social networks.
According to the 2019 Rural Development Report: Creating Opportunities for Rural Youth, the situation is of particular concern in sub-Saharan Africa whose rural youth population is set to climb from 105 million in 2015 to 174 million by 2050 in countries that often lack the means to deal with the challenges ahead.
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“Failing to act risks creating a lost generation of young people without hope or direction, which contributes to an increased risk of forced economic migration and fragility,” says IFAD President, Gilbert F Houngbo. “But with the right policies and investments, those young people can drive economic growth in rural areas and improve life in their communities.”
With greater access to skills training, markets, financial services and technologies, the report points out that rural young people could become more productive, connected and in charge of their own future.
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The report calls on policy-makers to seize opportunities presented by a digital revolution spreading across the developing world, balanced with the growing aspirations and demands of young people themselves.
“A broad, strong rural development policy combined with a clear policy of including young people, is the best way to help millions of young people around the world,” says Paul Winters, an agricultural and resource economist focusing on rural poverty and food insecurity in developing countries. and current Associate Vice President of IFAD.
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