Agriculture+ Vocational Training= Youth Employment

The seminar presentations centred on an analysis of the evolution and challenges of the agricultural policy in Cameroon by the deputy regional delegate of agriculture for the South West Region Mr Enang James Enang and Mr. Martin Tsounkeu; the seminar facilitator. On the funding of some agricultural projects, an officer of the World Bank support project-PACA Mr Ngoma Mutoume Benjamin, show cased maize, rice, plantain, palm, poultry, and pig rearing as those activities which could attract funding from his institution. People of all ages could benefit from the grant provided they currently have a 2-year successful running project, but statistics show that 60% of the beneficiaries fall within the age bracket of 18 and 35 years. Mr. Ngoma however advised the youths to always source the mandate ofa donor before submitting their projects as donors have different priority areas.

Some youth leaders have resolved to re-enforce their efforts in the agricultural sector in an effort to curb/reduce the official youth unemployment rate in Cameroon which stands at 13%. This decision was arrived at, after a capacity building, experience sharing and synergies building seminar at the initiative of the Cameroon Youth and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP) in Limbe, South West region of Cameroon. Placed under the theme “Using Agriculture and Vocational Training as Entry Points to Youth employment in Cameroon“, the seminar blended theory and hands-on methods through input papers and study tours, which the Executive Director of CAMYOSFOP Mr. Eugene Ngalim Nyuydine emphasized were instrumental to better equip the over 35 youth leaders from NGOs, Civil Society organisations and political parties to enable them assist Cameroon in her vision of an emerging state in 2035. For 3 days, agriculture was portrayed as the mainstay of the Cameroon economy, occupying over 60% of the work force in food/cash crop production, small and large scale livestock breeding for subsistence and export respectively. The need to improve and increase production and productivity was highlighted as Cameroon has proven to be the “bread basket” for most of the countries within the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The study trip to the oldest vocational training school in Cameroon (Government Technical College Ombe) enabled interested youths to establish working relations/partnerships with the school authorities and it triggered research in some eventual agricultural disciplines. A case in point is the request from the Bamenda-based SDF youth leader Mr. Derrick Ndonwie Suh for dryers and other equipment for his ginger products. Best practice in agriculture was shared by 6-time laureate at regional and national Cameroonian agricultural shows Mr. Martin Mokake, when the seminar participants visited his peer Martin Wato’s Bokwai-Buea yam farm. It should be noted that despite these youth’s efforts, road infrastructure is wanting and should be given more attention if agricultural produce must reach the destined markets. Against this background, agricultural mechanisation, investment, tailored training and more financial agricultural support were recommended as means to enable the youths to be attracted and to be more committed in the agricultural sector. Such views are expressed in an advocacy document that is expected to be made public before the end of August 2011.  It will be the 2nd Policy document within the CAMYOSFOP/FES partnership after that of 2009 on youth migration and unemployment-a document that was in June 2011 highly commended by the Cameroon Ministry of Economy and Regional Development.    http://www.fes-kamerun.org/jo/index.php/en/activities/19-lutilisation-de-lagriculture-et-de-la-formation-professionnelle-comme-des-points-dentree-a-lemploi-des-jeunes-au-cameroun Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Bureau Cameroun