José Graziano, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, call for innovations and technology to empower youth in the 6th Brazil Africa Forum

The opening of the morning of debates on the second day of the 6th Forum Brazil Africa, this Friday, November 23, 2018, was marked by a video message sent by José Graziano, Director General of the UN for Food and Agriculture (FAO). On that occasion, the Director explained the trajectory of young Brazilians and Africans in the search for jobs and qualifications in the field of agriculture.

José Graziano drew a parallel between the last decade of the Brazilian government, which developed public policies aimed at the empowering young people coming from lower classes in Brazil. Whereas, in rural areas in Africa, the youthful population still face serious difficulties. “There is no adequate funding for small farmers, technical courses are weak and young people do not participate in decision-making, as well as the difficulty of opening a business of their own. There is no social support policy to enter the labor market. ” The Director-General also stated that this process causes young people to migrate from the African continent, which in turn loses this important workforce.

Furthermore, Graziano said that FAO is seeking to ensure that these young people have access to the market of opportunities in African countries, turning agriculture into a profitable economic activity capable of attracting youth. In this process, he stressed the importance of using communication technologies, a fundamental tool for innovation, able to keep these young people connected with technology and education.