Cultivating Change: TwentyforGood’s Agri-Innovation Empowering Women, Youth and Job Creation in Agriculture
In the vast landscapes of agricultural systems, a narrative of challenges and opportunities unfolds, echoing the voices of women and youth seeking routes to empowerment and sustainability. As digital advancements redefine our approach to food systems, leveraging agri-innovation becomes key to addressing obstacles faced by these marginalised groups and cultivating a brighter future for rural communities. According to World Economic Forum (WEF) in The Markets of Tomorrow Report (2023), agricultural technologies were viewed as the most important strategic priority, followed by education and workforce development technologies, and then power storage and generation.
This puts agriculture technologies and innovations at the forefront of development in many countries, advocating for agri-innovation to be central to job creation amongst these countries is key. Digital Frontiers’ TwentyforGood movement envisions job creation by innovating within the world’s oldest industry to address challenges like gender disparities, youth participation, climate change, and productivity issues. This carefully designed multi-stakeholder initiative aims to direct at least 20% of future jobs towards solving the world’s greatest challenges. To achieve this vision, TwentyforGood is building a body of evidence for SDG net-positive job-creating ecosystems, with its first thematic focus on agri-innovations.
Gender Disparities and Agri-Innovation Solutions
Gender disparities persist within the agricultural sector, with women comprising a significant portion of the rural workforce yet facing wage gaps and systemic barriers that hinder their full potential. Biased gender norms, lack of financial education and limited access to digital tools all contribute to the marginalisation of women in agriculture.
Harnessing the power of agri-innovation can create more inclusive and equitable opportunities for women in rural settings. By integrating digital solutions such as mobile applications, smart farming technologies, and online market platforms, women farmers can access real-time information on market prices, weather forecasts, and crop management techniques. Empowering women with digital literacy skills and providing them with the tools to connect with resources and support networks fosters economic independence and enhances their contributions to rural development.
Engaging Youth in Agri-Business
The youth demographic in agricultural settings faces its own set of hurdles, including limited market access, inadequate skills training and a pull towards urban centres in search of alternative employment opportunities. As Sub-Saharan Africa’s population skews young, there is a pressing need to equip this dynamic cohort with the knowledge and tools to drive innovation and sustainability in food systems. Africa’s future in agriculture hinges on the engagement of its youthful populace, who are poised to drive significant transformation in food systems through creativity and innovation (Rogito, 2024).
Agri-innovation presents a gateway to engage and uplift young individuals in agri-business, offering pathways to entrepreneurship and meaningful engagement in rural development. The World Food Programme’s Changing Lives Agenda exemplifies a holistic approach to revolutionising food systems, focusing on making agriculture attractive and profitable for young people, enhancing infrastructure, and promoting knowledge exchange. As the world strives to reach Zero Hunger by 2030, communities must be supported to build their resilience and become self-sufficient (World Food Programme). By leveraging agri-innovation tools and digital platforms, initiatives like the Changing Lives Agenda can empower youth to navigate and thrive in the evolving landscape of agriculture, creating a ripple effect of positive change in rural communities.
Creating Job Ecosystems through Agri-Innovation
Agri-innovation plays a crucial role in nurturing job creation ecosystems within the agricultural sector. With the necessary digital public infrastructure and by investing in digital upskilling programmes, entrepreneurship training, and access to online marketplaces, communities can unlock opportunities for women and youth to generate income, build sustainable livelihoods, and catalyse economic growth in rural areas. Digital platforms that connect producers with consumers, facilitate value chain coordination, and streamline agricultural operations not only boosts productivity but also creates new employment prospects and foster inclusive economic development. A major challenge to overcome in rural farmlands is that many current farmers and stakeholders have limited digital literacy and technical skills needed to effectively use and integrate technology into their farming practices. Training and capacity building efforts are essential to bridge the skills gap and promote the adoption of technology solutions.
The Future of Jobs Report 2023 by WEF offers insights into how jobs and skills will change in the next five years. Here are the key takeaways:
Job Transformation: Up to a quarter (23%) of jobs are expected to change significantly by 2027. Automation will impact some sectors more than others, potentially losing 26 million jobs in record-keeping and administrative roles.
Job Creation vs. Loss: While some jobs will be lost to automation, new job opportunities are expected to emerge. The report predicts a net gain of around 69 million new jobs by 2027.
Skill Shift: The demand for digital and technology skills is rising. However, there’s also a growing emphasis on human-centred abilities like critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity. Agriculture equipment operators ranked number one in the largest job growth in the millions (between 2.5 and 3 million) projected in the next five years.
Lifelong Learning: The report highlights the importance of reskilling and upskilling to adapt to the changing job market. Companies are looking for workers who can learn quickly and continuously develop their skill sets. Or new skills training for technology and data management in horticulture, connected crop solutions or apiculture with roles such as Crop Data Managers and Analysts, IoT Software Engineers or Climate Analysts.
Green Jobs Growth: The report emphasises the rise of the ‘green transition,’ with a growing demand for skills related to sustainability and climate change solutions.
Digitalisation and Sustainable Agriculture
Digitalisation in agriculture holds immense potential to transform farming practices, strengthen supply chains, and foster connectivity among small-scale producers. By investing in digital extension services, weather monitoring systems, and market information sharing platforms, we can enhance productivity, resilience and sustainability in agricultural systems. Integrating agri-innovation into farming methodologies not only improves efficiency but also expands opportunities for women and youth to participate in, and benefit from agricultural value chains. According to Rogito (2024) young innovators are not just adopting existing technologies but are also creating new solutions tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities in African agriculture. Rogito mentions the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive analytics in crop yield is a prime example. Agriculture’s digital transformation needs to occur within a wider agri-innovation ecosystem including different actors — farmers, digital technology service providers, governments and development agencies (Madichie, Bolat and Taura, 2020).
The Role of Sustainable Energy
Sustainable energy stands as a cornerstone in the transformation of rural areas, serving as a catalyst for household tasks, agricultural processes and rural industries. By coupling sustainable energy solutions with initiatives targeting essentials like water supply, healthcare, education, and employment prospects, we can create a comprehensive approach to rural development that uplifts communities and fosters prosperity.
According to Ayamga, Lawani, Akaba and Birindwa (2023) the exploration of sustainable business models for digital solutions in the context of smallholder agriculture is needed to achieve various development targets within African countries leveraging digitalisation for agriculture.
As we navigate the complexities of agricultural systems and strive for a more sustainable and equitable future, TwentyforGood’s Agri-Innovation seeks to lead a movement toward positive change. By embracing digital solutions, empowering women, engaging youth in agribusiness and fostering job creation ecosystems, we can cultivate a landscape where inclusivity, empowerment, and sustainability intertwine to shape a thriving agricultural sector. Together, let us sow the seeds of innovation, collaboration, and job creation to harvest a brighter tomorrow for women, youth and rural communities worldwide.
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Authors: Ephias Ruhode, Saima Shaanika, Tolbert Mucheri, Albert Mubako and Phillip Bvekwa
