register
〰️
register 〰️
The Youth Café is excited to share a policy brief, "Unlocking Opportunities: AfCTA’s Agricultural Impact on African Youth, MSMEs, Digital Economy, and Health. "This brief explores AfCFTA's potential effects on these sectors, highlighting the roles of youth and MSMEs in maximizing its benefits. We believe AfCFTA holds transformative power for economies, especially concerning youth participation and the digital economy.
The purpose of this policy brief is to delve into the intricate relationship between AfCFTA and African youth, with a specific focus on their engagement in agriculture, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the burgeoning digital economy, and the crucial realm of health. By analyzing the intersection of AfCFTA with these diverse sectors, this brief aims to offer comprehensive insights into how the trade agreement can catalyze empowering the continent's youth population. Our examination goes beyond the mere acknowledgment of potential opportunities; it seeks to delineate practical policy recommendations that can drive tangible improvements in the lives of African youth, thereby contributing to the holistic success of AfCFTA.
The policy brief will focus on 3 major topics as discussed below:
Unlocking the Agricultural Economy for the African Youth
Africa’s economy based on agriculture remains unlocked and heavily under-utilized. Intra-African agricultural trade remains below 20% compared to more than 60 percent for Europe and Asia. Trade is projected to grow once negotiations have come to an end and trade barriers are progressively rolled back (Mbonde, 2022). Agriculture has had a long-standing history in the African context but has taken a back seat in being adopted by the youths and considerations as a career that can be enhanced with technology and further enhance the plight of African youth.
Transformation ascertains that Africa’s challenges are turned into opportunities and gains, and these gains are sustainable, manifesting into long-term development. Merging transformation with agriculture and technology enables Africans to compete globally and improve productivity as technological development enhances Africa’s effectiveness. The AfCTA should promote agricultural transformation and growth in a bid to contribute to food security and unemployment for African youths.
Health
The primary focus of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was on trade and economic integration among African nations. While health-related commitments might not have been a central focus of the trade agreement itself, it does not negate the imperative role health plays in Africa, African trade, and the impacts of free trade on health. This is so essential that Mogo (2021) asserts that “AfCTA’s success in boosting sustainable development will depend on the priority it gives to ‘planetary health’.
Digital Transformations
Transformation in agriculture and African business in general is the foundation on which sustainability, youth engagement, and global competency should be guaranteed. The digital economy typically refers to the use of digital technologies in various sectors, such as e-commerce, technology services, and digital innovation. When merged with agriculture, Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) are equipped and enabled. According to Lemma, Mendez-Parra, & Naliaka (2022), the potential for intra-African digital trade and e-commerce remains constrained by traditional restrictions such as logistical challenges, limited internet penetration and access to financial systems and those related to the management and governance of data. The subsequent measures can be effective in equipping African youths to effectively engage with a transformed agricultural sector:
JOIN US ON 7TH SEPTEMBER ON OUR TWITTER SPACE AS WE LAUNCH THE POLICY BRIEF.