Encouraging agripreneurship—entrepreneurial activity in agriculture—is crucial to addressing unemployment and underemployment among young people in developing and emerging economies around the world. Currently more than 223 million people fall into those categories, and they need sustained and targeted support. In a
new brief, produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Investment Centre and IFPRI, we outline ways policymakers and investors can foster youth entrepreneurs and tap into their vast potential.
Young people aged 15-24 make up 16% of the world’s population, and in Africa south of the Sahara, half the population is under 25. Agriculture remains the single most important source of income and employment for people throughout the developing world. But many young people view the sector as devoid of prospects, lacking in opportunities to make a decent living and provide for their families, and with limited potential as a worthwhile career choice. Promoting and sustaining agripreneurship offers an opportunity to change those perceptions.
