We need action, not just promises

A sunny, hot Sunday it has been! After a few movements to prepare for the week, I head home, grab a glass of water, pull out my Laptop and try to make myself comfortable. As I lay my hands on the keyboard, I quickly browse through my files, looking for some sounds to up my spirits.

There we go, it is Marky II featuring Exile, with one of those ‘workaholic mood’ beats; Nangu bancinge. Nangu bancinge, talks about a determined person ready to defeat all setbacks until they get to a successful end. The track narrates, in brief, the perseverance sustained and things achieved as source of motivation. Booooom! I am energized, ready for the week ahead.

Various ‘pronouncements’ have been made by stakeholders to raise hopes about how they wish to see the youth engaged in agriculture. Most Job creation policies seem to have put agriculture at the centre of sectors which have been targeted to create jobs for the youth and women in Zambia.

Last week, I spent some good time reflecting on Agriculture and the Youth in Zambia. Where we are coming from, the current situation, where we might be in the next few years, policy, politics, and many other issues that surround the realization of effective engagement of youth in agriculture, had been at the centre of my reflection.

A dozen of reports, statements, policy documents, news items all point to something promising. Looking back to count through the actualization of those pronouncements, gives a sad reading. Where are the projects promised? Where are the youth who have benefited? What are the results and impact? I seem not to come across projects to reflect the ‘pronouncements turned into action’.  Could it be that the institutions undertaking those projects are not interested in sharing their activities and success stories? One would keep wondering why a success story would be put under the desk.

We need action, not just promises. I cannot figure out correctly how a youth out there struggling to be empowered would be interested in promises that do not come to fruition, or even worse, shoddy activities only targeted at few beneficiaries, seemingly just to settle the dust.

Even more worrying, is the exclusion of the youth from adding their voice to policy formulation and project planning related to their engagement in agriculture. We are better positioned to contribute our voice to the policies and projects that are intended to benefit us, otherwise, leaving us out of these processes, will not produce effective solutions and interventions. You could be inventing 'failed project' case studies, if you choose to keep our voices out of policy and planning processes.

We need action from all stakeholders, to practically (not theoretically) engage the youth in agriculture , and sharing of successful as well as failed projects. 

It is time for the youth in Zambia, to once more again show solidarity, and stand up for agriculture. Let us create a strong agricultural movement that will give a strong voice on our engagement in agriculture. A youth in agriculture movement that will keep track of all possible projects from which we can benefit, ensure that we actually benefit, be empowered and share the success.

There are  Opportunities in Agriculture, you would be surprised.