Denting youth unemployment through agriculture

By Dickson Ng`hily

A young farmer ploughs his farm

 Agriculture sector is important to the economic development of  many nations, Tanzania being no exception. Moreover, the sector is not attractive especially to the youth as it suffers from entrenched negative perceptions.

 

The majority of the country’s youth perceive a farmer as is someone who has failed in life and that the only solution was to engage in agriculture. Which off-cause they see it as hard work of doing the doing backbreaking labour in the fields yet in return, getting little.

 

Despite the negative perceptions, the sector still drives the economy as it employs as much as 80 percent the country’s work force and this is according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), it accounts for at least 25 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as providing 85 percent of the country’s exports.

 

For Joshua Muhungure an independent agriculture expert, the image of poor, ragged and weather-beaten farmers puts off many young people. They don’t want to go through traumatic experience that most of the country’s farmers do face, thus opt to settle in urban areas in search of formal employment yet the country is experiencing high rates on unemployment.

 

According to a working paper dubbed “Nature of Urban Youth: “Challenges and Consequences” presented last year at the 19th annual research workshop of the Research on Poverty Alleviation (Repoa), by Simon Peter; indicates that 68 percent of the country’s population is made up of young people aged between 15 to 35 years.

 

The paper reveals that the estimates of unemployed persons for year 2011 were 2,368,672 persons which according NBS, the figure is equivalent to 10.7 percent of the nation’s labour force population.

 

Currently the total number of labour force population is estimated to be 22,152,320 persons, of whom 19,783,648 are estimated to be employed, among them; at least 2,502,327 people are estimated to be employed in the informal sector activities.

 

Part of the study reads: “…it is estimated that each year 700,000 graduates entering the labour market but only 40,000 (5.7 percent) get employment into formal sector. The incidence of unemployment among the youth is relatively high. The youth constitute 60 per cent of all people who are unemployed.”

 

In his paper, Peter stresses that youth unemployment has become  a concern in Tanzania with nearly 2.4 million unemployed people- most of them young-representing 10.7 percent of the population, situation is more critical to urban youths.

 

The 2012 Census revealed that the country’s population has grown from 12,313,469 persons in the 1967 Census to 44,928,923 persons counted in 2012. In other words, Peter says: “…the population of Tanzania has more than tripled from 12.3 million in 1967 to 44.9 million in 2012, with Dar es Salaam city account for 10 percent of total population of Tanzania mainland population.”

 

Therefore, he said: “Projections for the future indicate that the population could be over 54 million by the year 2022….With this population, Tanzania is the most populous nation in Eastern Africa. It is argued that the high population growth rate has resulted in the rapid growth of the labour force, which is far outstripping the supply of jobs.”

 

According to him, the accelerated growth of population on Tanzania’s unemployment problem is multifaceted. It affects the supply side through a high and rapid increase in the labour force relative to the absorptive capacity of the economy. So reducing youth unemployment through agriculture is of great importance.

 

A recent World Bank paper on agriculture as a sector of opportunity for young people in Africa poses a question: “Where will the large cohort of young Africans currently entering the labour force find employment?”

 

To answer the question, agriculture is potential positioned to absorb the large numbers of new job-seekers and to offer meaningful work with public and private benefits becomes clearer.

 

This fact is supported by Daniel Gisiri who decide to venture into agriculture when he was at the age of 35 years after he had just quitted his employment with Buhemba Gold Mine locate in Mara Region in a view to create more job opportunities through agriculture.

 

Gisiri who had just finish his ‘O’ level studies and failed to process as the family wasn’t able to acquire him with advance studies, he found himself join a mining in Tarime as labourer. Moreover, he worked hard in such a way he pleased his bosses and they promoted him as a gardener.

 

“…I call it a promotion because the hard manual work was on rest as with the new role, my responsibility was to look after all the garden in the mine…this is a lighter work compared to what I was doing previously,” he clarified.

 

According to him, his commitment paid him as it was at this time when the company administration took him for further studies towards a diploma in marketing and research. After which he did finish well and got back to work as an assistant researcher.

 

His story didn’t end up as an employee with Buhemba Gold Mine, as his thoughts for creating more job opportunities was very strong. He decided to quit and thus establish Dunia Trust Ltd a commodity trading company with the view of having various companies within Dunia Trust Ltd.

 

“Reginald Mengi is my role model…He used to sleep in the same house with goats but now he is a successful businessman who has greatly earned local and international reputation. I also did sleep in the same house with domestic animals as my parents were livestock keepers,” he disclosed his role model to this reporter.

 

For Gisiri, venturing into Agriculture was a right decision he ever made saying it has opened many doors for him. “Unlike other young people of my generation, for me agriculture; was and still is the answer to unemployment. It is a source of job creation, but in order to realise them; then you need to act differently.”

 

The young Gisiri didn't want to grow the predominant crops such as corn, sesame, paddy, beans etc. he wanted to be different by doing what isn't normally done in the farming circle and thus attract many in the agriculture field.

 

He added: “I decide to apply my knowledge…although I had started already involved in paddy farming, I thought of using my skills on marketing and research. I wanted to be an extraordinary farmer as many would just get into the business without researching a kind of crop that would sell.”

 

According to him, after a three-research he came to realise that for many farmers, sorghum was the 'go-to' crop for land that doesn’t get much water. They perceive it as the crop that can survive from the heat and drought conditions better than crops like corn or soybeans yet with no cash benefit and thus are not interested.

 

But for Gisiri, it’s a crop he’s grown to love and for sure you can’t blame him when you see his yields, as well as the opportunities that has been opened not only to him but also to other farmers, as the market is huge to the extent that Gisiri and other farmers who have bought his idea, are struggling to feed. 

 

Through engaging in sorghum farming, Gisiri who started wearing shoes in his secondary schooling as it was mandatory; he is now one of the young Tanzanian millionaires owning Dunia Trust Ltd a commodity trading company and several other companies subsidiary of the Dunia Trust Ltd.

 

"...it wasn't easy as it took me three years to locate the market in Nigeria and Mozambique whereby white sorghum was needed for producing gluten-free beer...I realized that the Mozambique breweries was owned by SABMiller plc which is a South African multinational brewing and beverage company which happen to own the Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL)."

 

He adds: "After six months of negotiations, I secured a contract to supply them with 50 tons of sorghum; and since I had no land to produce the required amount, I decided to convince other farmers to join me on board. I used to rent a bicycle and riding in different villages campaigning for sorghum farming, I told them that I am the market, they should grow and sell it to me."

 

Gisiri managed to enroll 200 farmers; however, there was a big challenge of the availability of the required seeds which was solved by TBL.

 

"I had to go reach the TBL administration, I told them that I had 200 farmers who are will to grow the crop but we were facing problem related to seeds. TBL provided me with required seeds which in turn I disbursed to the farmers and we managed to supply at least 12 tons of sorghum and  yet the demand was growing.

 

In order to attract more farmers, the young director of Dunia Trust, approached the ministry for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives; whereby he asked for the government to intervene and include sorghum as one of the crop that are entitled for subsidy.

The ministry responsible accepted his proposal and thereafter the young farmer started a countrywide campaign tour. 

 

"I have travelled in all regions and districts of the Tanzania mainland except Bukoba and Kigoma campaigning for sorghum farming and many have joined me, apart from supplying internally, I have also contract to supply the crop externally such as Uganda and Kenya."

 

Adding: "I have not only managed to create direct jobs through Dunia Trust but also indirect jobs, I have seen many young people changing their mindset and thus venture into the agricultural business. Personally, I do own at least 700 acres...only in Uganda, I have received an order to supply them with at least 500tons of sorghum...I want to be a reference.

 

When asked where did he manage to secure the capital for his business, Gisiri said: "What I believe, capital isn't tangible cash, it is the idea....Idea is everything, it gives you everything you need including money...although there was a time when I searched for loan but I could not get what I wanted."

 

Adding: "Agriculture pays...for me I started from the end to the beginning, I came from a poor family though we had at least 2000 livestock...I remember, due to education I was the enemy to my father. I started paying my school fees since primary schooling...I wouldn't be this level but I changed my mind...the concept of seeing farmer as poor should be deleted in mind of every Tanzanians."

 

Gisiri believes that none of the business in the world isn't associated with land; therefore, one has to till the land to acquire wealth. He insist: "Agriculture should be given first priority so as to attract many young people...it is possible to become generate wealth through agriculture."

 

Apart from growing sorghum himself, Gisiri has manage to found different companies that deals purchasing and supplying sorghum, growing and supplying certified seeds to farmers, he also hires tractors to farmers as well as owning peanut butter factory and a company that deals with installing security systems.

 

He adds: "My vision is to bring impact to the society, I have managed to secure purifying and grading machine, which will help our farmers to refine their crop as well as grading them so as to have quality product that will sell internationally...the machine can clean and grade different crops such as corn, beans etc..."

According to him, with the money obtained from agriculture, he has opened an automotive garage which is yet to be registered with Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) meant for teaching young people from poor family. 

 

"We provide them with training free-of-charge, we give them accommodation if they can't make of their own as well as get some little cash to sustain their wellbeing."

 

For his part, Dr Osmond Ndomba specialising in crop protection from the Arusha based Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI) said: "... lack of enough resources and incentives for improving agriculture sector, have made majority of youth to shun away from farming activities."

 

Therefore, Dr Ndoma urged the government to strengthen sector by investing more on technology, skills and the provision of incentives to stimulate the interest of young people toward agriculture. Adding: "...since availability of market for the farmer is one of the biggest problem facing the farmer, the government through the ministry responsible should search for markets.

 

According to him, agriculture that attracts the youth will have to be profitable, competitive, and dynamic. These are the same characteristics needed for agriculture to deliver growth, to improve food security, and to preserve a fragile natural environment.

 

"With higher priority accorded to implementation of well-designed public investments in agriculture, continued progress on regulatory and policy reform, and attention to assure inclusion of young people in Tanzania’s agricultural renaissance, the sector’s handsome youth dividend can be collected and widely shared," he said.

 

Dr Ndomba who decided to major in agriculture since when he was doing his 'O' level studies up to his PhD adds: "It is essential for the government to reform the education curriculum to be broad based geared towards integrating agriculture in education curriculum and changing mindset of our youth to motivate and encourage them to explore untapped opportunities in the agriculture sector."

 

he says that the move is vital since youth can play a significant role in acting as catalysts for change to agricultural development given their propensity and willingness to adapt to new ideas, concepts  and energy to carry them through which is critical in changing the way agriculture is practiced and perceived.

 

"The spirit of entrepreneurship is needed if we are to succeed" said a PhD hold, adding; "If Dunia has managed, then others can...with high unemployment rates and the lack of interest in agricultural pursuits, a greater focus on entrepreneurship in agriculture should be emphasised as it has the potential to contribute to the rejuvenation of the dying sector thus creating more employment opportunities, increasing the potential for profit and moving away from the perception of agriculture as a low prestige career."

 

Dr Ndomba believes that to create an enabling environment for youth to enter into the agricultural sector, a supportive policy environment focused on youth is required; as well as access to land and finance as it is a barrier for many, yet is essential for farming and agricultural entrepreneurship.

 

For their part Agnes Maji, Jacilia Msuma and Phelician Massao extension officers in the Arusha regional commissioner's office told this reporter engaging youth in agriculture has been an agenda that the region has been carrying.

 

"We encourage them to join in groups and we do provide them with technical assistance...when we get to of any financial help, we inform. we want to show them that farming can be a rewarding career as well as highlighting the important role of agriculture," he said.

 

Therefore, given support and the opportunity of employment, young people have the potential to play a significant role in the country's development, and as according to the International Labor Organisation (ILO), GDP in sub-Saharan Africa would rise by 12-19 per cent if young people were employed in productive work such as agriculture.