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  • Publication | 2023
Building Employment Opportunities for Rural Youth Through Applied Agricultural Research: Technical and Entrepreneurial Skills to Empower Youth
Global Food and Nutrition Security

This issue presents and analyses experiences from the following IFAD-funded project:

Nigeria and Benin: Youth Employment in Agri-business and Sustainable Agriculture.

Africa is experiencing rapid social and economic growth with many economies growing by more than 6% a year. Despite the expansion of educational services, the quality of education provided often fails to align with the skills required from graduates for existing employment opportunities. It is estimated that the formal sectors are incapable of absorbing approximately 10 to 12 million graduates, leaving many educated rural youth unemployed. Consequently, many youths migrate to urban centres in search of employment, yet find themselves working in the informal sector. This project sought to address these circumstances by piloting an initiative that effectively facilitates the transition of selected youths from school to decent jobs. By integrating entrepreneurial education and technical training, the project aimed to equip the youths with the necessary skills to enhance their employment opportunities.