Agriculture: Providing Opportunities for African Youth: Changing the Face of Unemployment Through Agriculture

Agriculture: Those who have been paying careful attention to the media in recent times will notice that there has been a great deal of motivation and encouragement from a variety of governments and individuals, recommending the youths in Africa who are currently without jobs to consider agriculture and farming as a potential solution to the problem of unemployment.

Tell me about my thoughts on this matter.

However, I believe that the first two essential things that we ought to inform our population of unemployed people are typically overlooked, which is why I believe that becoming a farmer is the third item.

What exactly is agriculture, before we proceed any further?

According to Wikipedia, agriculture is defined as the “cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for the purpose of producing food, fiber, biofuel, medicinal, and other products that are used to sustain and enhance human life.”

From the definition that was presented earlier, it is clear that farming can be broken down into two primary categories: the cultivation of crops and the raising of animals.

In the future, we shall talk more about the topic.

As I mentioned before, there are two essential things that we ought to convey to young people in Africa, even before we suggest that they pursue a career in agriculture.

To begin, what are the first two things that are important?

To begin, we need to allow our young people who are currently without jobs to view farming and agriculture as a business. Absolutely, business is not a sleazy activity.

What occurs is that if you utter the word “agriculture,” the image that comes to mind in the mind of an average African is either the image of his grandfather playing a jembe or the image of his father working hard on a maize farm. Each of these images is a representation of agriculture.

Because he despises this picture, he is adamantly opposed to the concept of becoming a farmer.

If we truly want our unemployed population to delve into farming, the first thing we need to do is re-orient them as to what agriculture is… in the modern world. This is the first step we need to take.

top view of green field — Photo by Tom Fisk

In today’s world, farming must be considered a business.

My father worked in the tea industry. A tea farm was where I spent the first 11 to 12 years of my life. In later years, my mother and I relocated to a nearby town; yet, I continued to accompany my father to the several farms that he owned inside the area.

I am aware of what that means, and thus, if somebody advises that I live my life in the same manner as my father, I will not accept the idea.

Nevertheless, as you can see, a lot of things have changed. The farming industry has been updated, and it is now possible to become a millionaire by venturing into the agricultural business.

Afterwards, I shall elaborate further on this topic.

I believe that the second thing that we ought to do is to educate our young people who are currently without jobs about the significance of having entrepreneurial skills… if they want to be successful in the agricultural business.

Because of this, our grandfathers had to avoid having a business mindset when they were working as farmers. Simply planting their crops was all that was required of them. Simply raising their cattle and selling them was all that was required of them.

On the other hand, in this day and age, when we are attempting to transition from farming on a small scale to farming that is automated and operated for commercial purposes, business skills are of utmost significance.

You, my fellow African, are the recipients of this summons… your goal should be to obtain an education in business and finance.

Should you possess a high level of education, you have the ability to enter the agricultural business as well as any other firm and achieve success.

Let there be no confusion between my statement and formal education when I mention education in the previous sentence. There is a good probability that you were educated and equipped for job if you are someone who went through the previous educational systems.

Considering that there are no longer any “good jobs” available for our graduates, isn’t it absurd that schools continue to teach every youngster how to be an employee? On the other hand, I am pleased that our government has updated our educational system.

When I talk about education, you can be certain that I am not referring to the conventional classroom setting. Am referring to the process of gaining knowledge from individuals who have achieved success in the field of business that you are interested in. You can either go to their places of business and learn from them, or you can read a book created by them.

The third piece of advice, which is about entering the agricultural industry as a business, can be given to our young people who are now without jobs if they have a solid understanding of the first two pieces of advice.

What is the level of profitability in the crop industry?

In the same way as asking how successful a garment business, cement business, or real estate business is challenging, this is just as difficult. … the correct response is that it is all about you.

When it comes to business, knowing who you are and what you know about how to make it lucrative is of the utmost importance.

The business world is not a place where one plus one equals two. In the world of business, one plus one can be eleven for one individual, while for another person, the same number can mean twenty-two. So that’s why I stated… It’s all about you, right?

The most effective method for enhancing your outcome and accomplishing something significant with your intended agricultural enterprise is to educate yourself not just about the specific field of farming that you wish to enter, but also, and this is of the utmost importance, about the business world from a general perspective.

If you get into the agriculture sector today, even if you have a significant amount of capital, you will still be required to deal with staff, which calls for excellent leadership abilities. This is the reason why I mentioned this.

You will be need to interact with a number of suppliers at some point, which will require you to practice your skills in human relations and negotiating. You will be required to interact with clients and members of the market, which is where the majority of the work is located.

In order to accomplish this, you will need to have a certain amount of knowledge (or plenty of knowledge) on marketing, branding, and market positioning.

In situations where I observe Africans engaging in business activities as if they were merely engaging in buying and selling, my heart breaks.

Buying and selling is NOT what business is about. Had it been the case, each and every person would have been a millionaire. Management is an art form. It is necessary to learn about and comprehend it.

Nobody on the face of the globe would desire to become a lawyer if they did not intend to read a significant number of books. What kind of person would desire to become a physician if they did not intend to read a significant number of books? If this is the case, then why do people believe that they can be successful in company without reading or studying about business?

Let me offer you one last piece of advise.

First things first, you need to determine which sector of the agricultural industry you would most like to enter. Which is it, the cultivation of plants or the raising of animals?

Secondly, farming should be viewed as a business and not as a nasty affair. To further your education, you should study several excellent books on business and finance.

I have a lot of love for you, and I hope that you will one day build a prosperous business.

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