Tuesday, 20 March 2012

KNOTS blogger

KNOTS blogger


The need to change young people’s attitudes towards agriculture

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 04:16 AM PDT

James Karuga is a Kenyan journalist and one of the winners of our journalism competition for reporting on young people, farming and food.

Agriculture's contribution to Ghana's economy has nearly halved over the last 20 years. In 1990 the sector contributed 40% but by 2011 it had dipped to 24.4%, according to Dr Samuel Kojo Dapaah of Ghana's Ministry of Agriculture, speaking at the Young People, Farming and Food conference yesterday.

Agricultural experts in Africa agree this downward trend needs to be reduced if Africa has to overcome her food crisis where 1 in 3 people are nutritionally challenged. As a result, focus has turned to the youth who making up over 60 percent of Africa's population can play a key role in ensuring Africa is able to feed her people and grow her food sector industry in the future.