MASERU – Young people have been urged to embrace agriculture and other productive sectors as a pathway to economic independence and job creation.
The call was made by the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Mr Selibe Mochoboroane, during a dialogue held in Maseru on Wednesday to commemorate International Youth Day.
The dialogue brought together young people from different backgrounds, government representatives and civil society organisations to discuss economic independence, opportunities and challenges facing the youth.
Mr. Mochoboroane encouraged the youth to engage in productive activities that would enable them to feed themselves and create employment for others.
He said government has made significant investments in basic education, but stressed that the country cannot rely on education alone without creating opportunities for young people to become productive.
Mr. Mochoboroane described agriculture as an important sector in Lesotho, saying it is a combination of science, technology and art and therefore requires young people with skills and knowledge.
He said 48 young people were among beneficiaries of 100 tractors recently allocated in Ha-Foso, describing the development as encouraging because the beneficiaries met requirements and were involved in food production as a business.
He indicated that government is working with PostBank to facilitate loans for Basotho to acquire tractors, while ensuring that beneficiaries receive appropriate training and develop the necessary skills.
He urged young people to make greater use of technology in agriculture, particularly in areas such as crop protection, saying the sector also offers opportunities for skilled youth.
He urged Basotho, particularly the youth, to increase domestic food production and reduce dependence on imports.
Speaking at the same event, member of Youth Dialogue Initiative Mr. Tumelo Moteuli said the organisation brings together young people from different backgrounds and has engaged youth across all districts.
He said young people are concerned about the changing global environment, including declining donor support, and believed it was time for them to take greater responsibility for the country’s economic development.
Mr. Moteuli said the youth wanted to see a private-sector-led economy in which young people should create businesses, produce goods and services and contribute meaningfully to national development.He said some young people are already producing goods but struggle to find markets, stressing the need for better support and coordination.
He said the organisation is working towards developing a youth document that would capture the aspirations and priorities of young people.
The Founder and Executive Director of Queer Worx, Mr Bokang Bane, said inclusion was essential in economic development, particularly when designing programmes and policies targeting young people.
He said the national census and other sources of data are important in understanding different groups within society and ensuring that no one is excluded from access to economic opportunities, services and protection.
Mr. Bane said Queer Worx works to strengthen the capacity of the LGBTQ+ community through programmes including business and entrepreneurship skills, digital literacy, financial literacy, legal literacy and civic participation.
He said government and development partners should ensure that programmes targeting young people are properly monitored and evaluated to establish who is benefiting from them.
The International Youth Day commemoration provided a platform for young people and stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening youth participation in economic development and building a more self-reliant Lesotho.
Ends/MAMAJ
