Increasing responsible investments in agriculture and food systems is essential to ensure food security for a growing population and create thriving rural communities. Empowering Rural Youth in these sectors is crucial in this regard. 

In Kenya, rural-urban migration of young people, in search of better livelihood opportunities, has created a generation gap in the agriculture sector. The ageing of the on-farm labour force in turn reduces innovation and investment in the sector.

 According to FAO, the average age of farmers is increasing globally. The average age of a farmer in Kenya is 60. Evidence shows that Empowering Rural Youth can inject new energy into agriculture and food systems and be vectors of change, sustainability and modernization, capable of responding to the challenges of climate change and ensuring food security for future generations.

Yet in many rural areas, youth associate employment in agriculture with hard work and low incomes. Too often, young people are in precarious and informal employment and experience exploitative working conditions. Also, due to lack of access to land, financial services, information and market opportunities, young farmers and small-scale producers have very limited perspectives to move from subsistence activities to flourishing and viable agrifood businesses.