Gender and youth prioritized under Dryland Systems in agriculture

Farmers and pastoralists in Africa are faced with the daily reality of integrated agro ecosystems of dealing with crops, trees, water, food, feed, value-addition and linkages to markets.

Sustaining the productivity of these agriculturists largely depends on the capacity of young people and women to facilitate their access to decision-making.

They are among vulnerable groups in local communities who are hardest hit when the environment is disturbed by degradation and climate change.

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) has therefore prioritized youth and gender in the introduction of innovations to promote agriculture in drylands across the West African Sahel region.

“It is self evident that we can’t have sustainable development without the implicit and explicit participation of women and youth”, emphasized Dr. William Payne, Director of the CGIAR Dryland Systems Program.

Young people particularly face a daunting future in dryland regions, characterized by unemployment and limited access to decision-making, natural resources, and finance. The consequences include high levels of civil unrest, instability and rural out-migration.

Women also need to be empowered to make critical decisions, especially in accessing technology, credit and forest resources.

Dr. Marten Van Ginkel, ICARDA Deputy Director-General, says focusing on women and youth is a productivity and development strategy to progress in dryland agriculture production systems.

“We don’t interpret gender as being enough; we want to look at youth but also disadvantaged groups – older and wiser women and men who have knowledge from the local regions and who can contribute”, he said.

Research partners under the CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on Dryland Systems for West Sahel and Dry Savanna have been working out plans to implement the integrated production systems for improving food security and livelihoods in dry areas.

Development partners, including national research institutions and universities are expected to make available relevant expertise to support implementation of the program to attain maximum impact and achieve goals in the region.

“There are megatrends throughout Africa and other parts of the world towards urbanization so we have many young people that need jobs – those jobs would have to be linked in many countries to agricultural sector because the largest part of the economy is made up of the agricultural production”, said Dr. Payne.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh