National Youth Coordinators Forum Strengthens Youth Participation in South Africa’s Agricultural Future

The National Youth Coordinators Forum (NYCF) has reaffirmed the importance of young people in transforming South Africa’s agricultural sector during a gathering held at the Department of Agriculture’s head office. The meeting brought together youth representatives from Limpopo and officials from the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD) to discuss opportunities for greater youth participation in agriculture. At the centre of the engagement was a shared commitment to addressing poverty, unemployment and inequality through meaningful economic opportunities for young people. Agriculture and agro-processing offer significant potential to create jobs, develop businesses and strengthen food security when young people have access to the right support and resources. The forum provides a platform for young people to contribute to these efforts while ensuring that their concerns and ideas form part of the country’s agricultural transformation agenda.

Deputy Director for Sector Transformation, Mahlatsi Seloane, emphasised the importance of youth participation in South Africa’s socio-economic transformation. With young people making up more than 65% of the population, their involvement in productive sectors such as agriculture is critical to the country’s development. Seloane highlighted the Department of Agriculture’s vision, guided by the Constitution and the National Development Plan, of positioning agriculture as a sector capable of creating one million jobs by 2030. Reaching such an ambitious target will require significant participation from young people who can bring new skills, technologies and business ideas into farming and related industries. It will also require the agricultural sector to become more attractive and accessible to a generation seeking sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

One of the key challenges identified during the engagement is the ageing farmer population. South Africa needs to encourage more young people to enter agriculture if the country is to maintain a strong and productive farming sector over the long term. Attracting young farmers requires more than encouraging them to produce crops or livestock because they also need access to land, finance, skills, markets, infrastructure and technology. Young agricultural entrepreneurs can also create opportunities beyond primary farming through agro-processing, logistics, digital agriculture and other activities across the value chain. Supporting this broader participation can help ensure that agriculture becomes a viable career and business option for young people rather than being viewed only as traditional farming.

The NYCF provides an important structure for coordinating youth-focused agricultural programmes across national and provincial government structures. Without effective coordination, programmes designed to support young people can operate separately, creating duplication or leaving gaps in support. The forum creates an opportunity for representatives to share information, monitor implementation and identify challenges affecting youth participation in agriculture. Quarterly meetings, held through both virtual and physical platforms, allow stakeholders to assess progress and discuss areas requiring greater attention. This coordinated approach can help strengthen accountability while ensuring that youth programmes remain connected to broader agricultural transformation objectives.

Youth participation also needs to extend beyond employment opportunities because young people can become agricultural entrepreneurs and employers themselves. Agriculture includes a wide range of businesses that can create opportunities for people with different interests, skills and levels of experience. These include farming, food processing, agricultural technology, input supply, transport, marketing, research and financial services. By positioning young people as both job seekers and job creators, the NYCF encourages a broader understanding of how youth can contribute to economic development. This approach can help create more sustainable opportunities while strengthening the agricultural value chain.

The forum’s work aligns with national strategies including the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan and the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan. These frameworks recognise the importance of building productive industries that can contribute to employment, investment and economic growth. Youth inclusion is essential to these objectives because young people will form a large part of the workforce, business community and farming population that will drive the sector in the years ahead. Aligning youth programmes with national agricultural strategies can also help ensure that support is directed towards areas with long-term economic potential. The NYCF therefore provides a link between youth development and wider government efforts to transform agriculture and strengthen the rural economy.

Agro-processing was highlighted as an area where innovation and youth participation can make a significant contribution. Processing agricultural products can create additional economic value while generating employment opportunities beyond the farm. Young entrepreneurs with skills in technology, marketing, business management and food production can identify opportunities to develop products and services that respond to changing consumer needs. Greater youth participation in agro-processing can also help reduce the gap between primary producers and markets by creating businesses that add value to agricultural commodities. Supporting these ventures requires access to finance, infrastructure, technical skills and reliable markets, making coordinated government and industry support important.

Food security is another area where youth involvement can have a direct impact on South Africa’s development. A growing and productive agricultural sector needs skilled people who can adopt new technologies, improve production methods and respond to changing environmental and market conditions. Young farmers and agricultural professionals can bring new approaches to farming while building on the experience and knowledge of established producers. Encouraging collaboration between generations can therefore strengthen the sector by combining experience with innovation. Youth participation in food production and related industries can also help create employment while contributing to the availability of nutritious and affordable food.

The NYCF also places emphasis on transparency, accountability and equitable representation. These principles are important when developing programmes intended to support young people because beneficiaries need confidence that opportunities are accessible and fairly administered. Clear monitoring can help stakeholders determine whether programmes are achieving their intended outcomes and whether resources are reaching the people who need them. Accountability can also help identify challenges early and create opportunities to improve programme implementation. By promoting integrity and mutual respect, the forum aims to build a stronger foundation for cooperation between youth representatives, government officials and other agricultural stakeholders.

For young people in Limpopo, participation in structures such as the NYCF creates an opportunity to bring local experiences into national agricultural discussions. Rural youth can face specific challenges relating to access to land, infrastructure, finance, training and markets, which means that national policies need to take local conditions into account. Youth representatives can help communicate these challenges while also sharing ideas about solutions and opportunities. Their involvement can help ensure that agricultural development programmes are informed by the experiences of the people they are intended to support. This type of participation strengthens the connection between policy development and the realities of young people in rural communities.

The forum also reflects a broader recognition that agricultural transformation requires meaningful participation from the next generation. Young people should not simply be viewed as beneficiaries of agricultural programmes but as active contributors to policy, innovation, farming and business development. Giving them a voice in planning and implementation can help ensure that programmes respond to emerging needs and changing economic conditions. It can also encourage young people to take greater ownership of their role in the agricultural sector. When youth are equipped with appropriate resources and opportunities, they can contribute to creating businesses, jobs and solutions that benefit communities.

The National Youth Coordinators Forum gathering at the Department of Agriculture’s head office has reinforced the importance of placing young people at the centre of South Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda. Through collaboration between national structures, provincial departments and youth representatives, the forum is working to strengthen coordination, accountability and opportunities for young people. Its focus on agriculture, land reform, rural development, agro-processing and food security reflects the broad range of opportunities available within the agricultural economy. Empowering young people to become farmers, entrepreneurs, professionals and employers can contribute to reducing unemployment while supporting poverty reduction and greater economic inclusion. The continued success of this approach will depend on turning policy commitments into practical opportunities, ensuring that young people have the tools and support they need to help shape a productive, inclusive and sustainable agricultural future for South Africa.