Context:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released its landmark report titled “Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems”, calling for urgent global action to integrate youth into agriculture and food systems. The report shows that global GDP could rise by 1.4% if NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) youth, especially those aged 20–24, are productively engaged — nearly 45% of this potential lies in agrifood systems.
Key Findings
- Declining Youth Participation in Agrifood Systems
- Youth working in agrifood systems declined from 54% in 2005 to 44%.
- Despite high reliance on agriculture in low-income countries, youth engagement is falling.
- Rising Global NEET Rates
- Over 20% of global youth (15–24 years) are NEET.
- Young women are twice as likely to be NEET compared to young men.
- Economic Impact
- Eliminating NEET status could raise global GDP by $1.5 trillion.
- Agrifood systems can contribute to nearly half this growth through job creation and innovation.
- Urbanization and Labour Shortages
- 54% of youth live in urban areas.
- Rural youth participation in industrial agrifood systems is only 5%, threatening future agricultural labour availability.
- Climate Vulnerability
- 395 million rural youth reside in climate-stressed regions with declining agri-productivity.
- Rising Youth Food Insecurity
- Youth facing moderate or severe food insecurity has risen from 16.7% (2014) to 24.4% (2023), with the sharpest rise in Africa and crisis-hit areas.
FAO’s 3-Pillar Strategy to Empower Youth
Inquire More
- Bridge data gaps on youth in agrifood systems.
- Strengthen evidence for designing youth-responsive policies.
Include More
- Ensure youth representation in policymaking and governance.
- Focus on rural and urban inclusion to avoid intergenerational inequality.
Invest More
- Create Decent Jobs: Promote opportunities in both on-farm and off-farm sectors.
- Modernize Agriculture: Invest in infrastructure, digital tools, and resilient value chains.
- Improve Access: Expand access to land, credit, training, markets, and technology.
- Promote Safe Migration: Enable orderly, dignified migration pathways for youth.
