Youth, women urged to take part in policy making processes

DODOMA: YOUTH and women engaged in agricultural projects have been urged to take part in formulating strategies that will enable them to understand the National Youth Development Policy in order to benefit from available opportunities.

Project Coordinator from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Mr Donald Mizambwa made the remarks recently in Dodoma during a training aimed at raising awareness among youth on the National Youth Development Policy under the Youth Enterprises for Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) project.

He stated that the meeting brought together young people from various regions to discuss youth development policies and identify which ones should be prioritised.

Speaking during the training which brought together youth who are actively engaging in the sector from 18 regions across the country, the coordinator noted that the young people are increasingly gaining access to opportunities and employment in the agriculture sector through the implementation of various projects.

Mr Mizambwa explained that AGRA has developed joint strategies to support the self realisation and goal attainment of youth and women involved in agriculture.

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He pointed out that the government, through its strategic plan, aims to increase the productivity of rice, oilseeds, and horticulture by 2030.

“The strategic goal of agriculture is to enhance domestic and regional competitiveness of priority value chains and to establish a sustainable production system that boosts competitiveness in rice, sunflower oil, and horticulture value chains,” he said.

He added that the initiative also aims to create an enabling policy environment to attract both public and private sector investments in these priority value chains.

Executive Director of Voice of Youth Tanzania, Mr Vincent Uhenga said that as implementation partners of the project, they are working in six regions namely Dodoma, Katavi, Rukwa, Kagera, Manyara and Singida.

He said that youth must understand the relevant policies and available opportunities to guide their life paths.

One of the participants, Mr Mzizi Mtambwa from Kilosa District in Morogoro Region said that the government and stakeholders have provided a wide range of opportunities for youth to participate in agriculture.