Interview with Sithembile Ndema Mwamakamba, from Zimbabwe, who works at the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) where she coordinates the Youth in Agriculture project. She also manages the Women Accessing Realigned Markets (WARM) project designed to strengthen the capacity of women farmers to influence agricultural policy development in Southern Africa.

"With a greater focus on value chains in recent years, there are now far more opportunities for young people to find rewarding careers in the food and farming sector. However, governments need to formulate policies that capitalise on the energy and entrepreneurship of the youth to successfully attract them to the sector."

FANRPAN, in collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) and the FANRPAN Tanzania Node Hosting Institution, is convening the 2012 FANRPAN Annual High Level Regional Food Security Policy Dialogue in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania 03 – 07 September 2012. The theme for the policy dialogue is "From Policy to Practice: Advocating for the Active Engagement of Youth in Agriculture Value Chains."

Engaging the youth in future agricultural developments in Africa will take centre stage at Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) Annual Regional Food Security Policy Dialogue in Swaziland on 19-23 September 2011 (www.fanrpan.org).

“The time is now to ensure that the youth are part of decisions about the future of agriculture in Africa – they are after all the generation that will have to ensure that the continent’s growing population is fed,” says FANRPAN Chief Executive Officer Dr Lindiwe Majele Sibanda. ”It is the responsibility of current leaders in agriculture to ensure the involvement of the youth in development– and that is what we plan to do.”

Theme: Advocating for the active Engagement of the Youth in the Agricultural Value Chain
Date: 19 - 23 September 2011, Manzini, Swaziland
The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) is a regional policy research and advocacy network whose operations are informed by major regional policy frameworks and processes in Southern Africa. FANRPAN is organising a high level policy dialogue.
As part of the event, pre-dialogue meetings will take place such as Journalists Training Workshops and CAADP Non State Actors Workshops. Then, the Dialogue will focus on Youth in Agriculture via CAAPD opportunities for Youth, Youth in Markets for Africa's Green Revolution, Youth and Rural Livelihoods and Social Protection and different case studies in Innovative Youth initiatives.
Note that this activity is implemented in partnership with CTA.

More information see this link.

CTA participated recently in FANRPAN’s node common visioning workshop held in Mbabane, Swaziland on 22 and 23 February 2011. The purpose of the workshop was to monitor the implementation of FANRPAN policy research projects, discuss network governance and management issues and plan for the forthcoming annual Regional Policy Dialogue in Swaziland on the theme of agricultural policies for the youth.