INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY
Youths challenged to adopt innovative agriculture
The National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) has emphasized the need for young people to take active role in innovative agricultural production.
The council’s Chief Executive Officer, Dingi Jere made the remarks in Lilongwe, during the commemoration of the International Youth Day (IYD).
“Agriculture is the mainstay of the country’s economy. We [youths] therefore, need to embrace it by diversifying into innovative ways of farming as opposed to sticking to old means,” he challenged youths in the country.
Malawi joins the rest of the world in celebrating 12th August as the International Youth Day which was set aside by the Unites Nations in 2000 to look at issues affecting the youths, globally.
To mark the day this year, NYCOM organized a panel discussion which drew speakers from diverse backgrounds within the agriculture sector.
Clara Kamlomo, an Agri-enterprenuer asked authorities to make agriculture more appealing to the youths.
“Most young people are not into agriculture because of lack of motivation. Then we have issues of capital to start up a business. The challenges are many such that, the terrain is not favourable to the youths in the country,” she argued.
The 2021 IYD theme was “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.”
The commemoration was supported by different stakeholders including UNICEF, USAID, GIZ, Youth Wave Malawi, AMREF, HP+ Her Liberty among others.