Articles tagged " Employment"

Articles

Text highlights the potential of 71 million young people to enhance rural areas, with footprints symbolizing progress.

Answers from the youth: "Leave or stay? That depends on it!"

GIZ study; conducted by Geopoll

Does Africa's youth want to live in the city or in the country? Which career path seems particularly attractive? And how optimistic are the young people about the future? Young adults from rural areas answered these questions by SMS.

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A group of people work together in a lush vegetable field under a clear blue sky.

"Agriculture can become a job engine"

Interview with Reiner Klingholz

How can agriculture modernise Africa? And does the road to the cities really lead out of poverty? Dr. Reiner Klingholz from the Berlin Institute for Population and Development in conversation with Jan Rübel .

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Two women in vibrant traditional attire walk joyfully down a street, surrounded by smiling children.

Enough of being poor

By Marcellin Boguy

In western Africa a new middle class is emerging. Their consumer behaviour is determining the demand for products – home-produced and imported goods, on the internet or at the village market. The people of Ivory Coast in particular are looking to the future with optimism.

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A person in a suit speaks into a microphone, holding papers, with an attentive audience in the background at a Rural Future Lab event.

The Big Bang is possible

Interview with Joachim von Braun

Happy youngsters in rural areas, green development and the connection to the digital age – professor Joachim von Braun believes in this future sceneraio for Africa. For three decades the agricultural scienties has been researching how politics can create prosperty on the continent. 

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Teilnehmer einer Schulung im Digital Transformation Center Kigali, Ruanda. © Mali Lazell, GIZ

Africa's rapid economic transformation

A report by T. S. Jayne, A. Adelaja and R. Mkandawire

Thirty years ago, Africa was synonymous with war, famine and poverty. That narrative is clearly outdated. African living standards are rising remarkably fast. Our authors are convinced that improving education and entrepreneurship will ensure irreversible progress in the region even as it confronts COVID-19.

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A person with curly hair is partially obscured by a large play button icon, suggesting a video is ready to be played.

Video: 4 Questions to Claudia Makdristo

A video clip by Seedstars

Startups are booming in African agriculture. What are the current trend and challenges – and can other regions benefit from innovative approaches? A Video-Interview with Claudia Makadristo, Regional Manager of Seedstars  

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A smiling woman in a green shirt uses her phone while standing in a cornfield.

An opportunity for the continent

A contribution by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Africa’s population is young and ready to take its destiny into its own hands. Agriculture offers amazing opportunities in this regard. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation wants to support the next generation in this way.

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Farmers work together threshing rice in a field with a makeshift machine under the clear sky.

Leveraging investment impacts

A contribution by Heike Baumüller, Christine Husmann, Julia Machovsky-Smid, Oliver Kirui, Justice Tambo

Any initiative whose aim is to reduce poverty in Africa should focus first on agriculture. But what kind of investment has the greatest impact? The use of scientific criteria provides some answers.

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Vibrant scene in Abidjan market with vendors balancing colorful fruits and vegetables on trays amid bustling crowds.
Food market in Abidjan. © GIZ

Reference values: A building block on the road to social equality

A contribution by Friederieke Martin (GIZ)

A quick and cost-effective method calculates living wages and incomes for many different countries. The GIZ together with Fairtrade International and Richard and Martha Anker have developed a tool that companies can use to easily analyse income and wage gaps.

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A gloved hand carefully inspects rows of neatly arranged chocolate bars on a production line.

From start to finish: a vision of interconnectivity

A contribution by Tanja Reith

At the moment, the agricultural industries of African countries exist in relative isolation. Imagine peasant farmers digitally connected to the value chains of the global food industry. How could this happen? A guidebook.

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A speech bubble asks about taking over a farm, featuring emojis of a chick, potato, cow, rice bowl, and tractor.

The Life of Their Dreams - What Children Want

Interview with Gnininkaboka Dabiré and Innocent Somé

Later on you want to become a farmer yourself, or would you prefer to take up another profession? Two young people from Burkina-Faso talked to representatives of the Dreyer Foundation about their parents' farms, the profession of farmer and their own plans for the future.

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People gather around a bowl holding a package of soy powder, discussing the product information on labels.

"Soy can be made into more than just flour"

A report by Johanna Steinkühler (GIZ)

The soybean is a natural crop that can be used to make a lot of food. So, Tata Bi started a small processing business first on her own, then with a few other women, which provides the women with an additional source of income year-round besides selling the soybeans.

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A smiling woman wearing a colorful headscarf stands in a sunlit field, exuding joy and confidence.

Africa's face of agriculture is female

A contribution by Beatrice Gakuba (AWAN-AFRIKA)

Africa has a huge opportunity to make agriculture its economic driver. However, the potential for this is far from being made exhaustive use of, one reason being that women face considerable difficulties in their economic activities. The organisation AWAN Afrika seeks to change this state of affairs.

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A man with a rifle stands before a crowd holding pots, illustrating a tense situation at a distribution point.

"Without peace, there will be no development"

Interview with Karina Mroß (DIE)

What contribution does development cooperation make to conflict prevention? What can it do for sustainable peace? Political scientist Karina Mroß talks to Raphael Thelen about post-conflict societies and their chances for peaceful development.

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A person speaks passionately at a podium during a presentation at the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The communicator

A contribution by Jan Rübel

What do electrical engineering, telecommunications and agriculture have in common? They arouse the passion of Strive Masiyiwa: Thirty years ago, he started an electrical installation company with $75, later riding the telecommunications wave as a pioneer. Today he is committed to transforming African agriculture.

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A man in a suit gestures expressively during a conversation, with green plants in the background.

Spiritual mortar for the young generation

A contribution by Jan Rübel

Fred Swaniker is working building a new era of leaders. And what about agriculture? ‘It needs to be more sexy!’

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A pile of raw cashew nuts with one split open to reveal the creamy interior, highlighting their natural texture.

The 'Grey Gold'

A contribution by Maria Schmidt (GIZ)

The Cashew Council is the first international organisation for a raw material stemming from Africa. The industry promises to make progress in processing and refining cashew nuts - and answers to climate change

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A man conducts a workshop, engaging an attentive group seated in a classroom setting.

A new attempt at Africa's industrialization?

A contribution by Helmut Asche

Afrika is about ready. There are promising approaches for a sustainable industrialization. However, the path poses challenges to the continent.

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A worker in a yellow shirt tends to a lush palm oil plantation, surrounded by tall trees under a bright sky.

No rainforest for our consumption

A contribution by Jenny Walther-Thoß (WWF)

In the tropics rainforests are still being felled for the production of palm oil, meat and furniture. It is high time to act. Proposals are on the table.

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A farmer waters crops in a lush field, showcasing sustainable agricultural practices under clear blue skies.

Youth as key actors for a transformation of agri-food systems

Five Questions for Anke Oppermann

In October, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) adopted policy recommendations ‘Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems’. Anke Oppermann answers five questions on youth employment in the agricultural sector.

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A woman in glasses and a patterned coat gestures while engaging in conversation at a social gathering.

Priscilla Impraim and her chocolate business

A contribution by Jan Rübel

Priscilla Impraim is one of the first women in Ghana to enter the chocolate business. Despite some hurdles, she founded the company Ab Ovo Confectionery Limited in 2006 with currently six permanent employees and 25 seasonal employees.

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A person in colorful clothing gathers fluffy cotton into a large sack under a clear blue sky.

Achieving more together – New forms of cooperation for sustainability in the cotton sector

A Contribution by Saskia Widenhorn

Saskia Widenhorn, Head of the Cotton Component in Cameroon and the Sub-Saharan Cotton Initiative at GIZ, reports on the Bremer Cotton Week, which brought together international industry experts. The agenda included supply chain transparency, sustainability and new forms of cooperation between the private sector and partner countries.

 

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A woman in a vibrant pink dress tends to young rice plants in a lush, green paddy field.

Why organic is a „blessed” method

An Interview by Claudia Jordan

Three female entrepreneurs from Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Uganda tell their stories about starting organic businesses from scratch, now selling Baobab Oil, Gotukola powder and Shea butter in international markets. And they explain why their business is almost 100 percent female.

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A group of people walks through a field in Tanzania, with vibrant sunflowers blooming under a clear sky.

Sang'alo Institute invests in farming of sunflower crop

A contribution by James Wanzala

Kenya is a large importer of vetable oils mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia - amongst them sunflower oil. Due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, there were supply bottlenecks and food shortages, leading to less affordable vegetable oils in Kenya. As a response to the lack of supply, the Sanga'alo Institute of Science and Technology, took that impulse, teamed up with the GIZ and established regional cultivation and refinement of sunflowers.

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Handmade signs advertising various services like electrician and hairdresser are attached to a tree trunk.

Mozambique: How informal workers find jobs through an app

A Contribution by Leonie March

There are only about 1 million jobs in the East African country. The majority of the population works in the informal sector, and it can be difficult for them to find customers. Biscate offers a digital solution - without the need for internet, data or smartphones.

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A group of smiling young people sit outdoors, engaging in a lively activity with a wooden box.

Stepping into the future: How youth organisations are driving change

A contribution by Felix Chiyenda

Together they are stronger: In many African countries, young men and women are coming together to form youth organisations. These organisations help young people in rural areas to earn a living in the agricultural and food sector, creating prospects for the future in rural areas.

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A group of people stands in line outdoors, waiting at a registration table under a tree.

The Principle of Sharing

A contribution by gebana

gebana, a Swiss fair trade company, follows the principle of "sharing" with its corporate philosophy: farming families in the Global South participate directly in the sales of their online shop. Caroline Schaar, Marketing at gebana, explains the company's approach.

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A woman in a pink headscarf and floral dress stands confidently in a lush garden. | © Claudia Jordan

Stick together and learn from each other

By Claudia Jordan

During the Women Leadership Programme in May 2024, around 20 women from African countries and Germany met again for a one-week workshop in Bavaria, Germany to become fit for leadership in their organisations. One topic that concerns the women across countries is climate change, but also violence against women and their discrimination in agriculture.

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A woman in a red headscarf observes young plants growing in a greenhouse, tending to them carefully.

Uprooting the Norm

A Contribution by GIZ

As a passionate social scientist and entrepreneur from Malawi, Ngabaghila Chatata knows that she can overcome any challenge. Her story stands out in a country faced with high unemployment, particularly in its rural areas. As the managing director of Thanthwe Farms, she has set out to inspire the next generation of young agripreneurs – proving that successful business starts with the right mindset, not only capital.



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A diverse group of women in casual attire smiles together outdoors, celebrating unity and community spirit.

Where Goats Listen to the Radio

A Contribution by GIZ

German and Ugandan women farmers come together in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to exchange experiences – from modern milking systems to the challenges of women's participation in agricultural decision-making. Amid goats, lavender ice cream, and engaging discussions, one thing becomes clear: women can achieve great things together, across borders and generations.

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A person tends to drying coffee beans on raised beds under a bright blue sky in a lush rural setting.

Improving The World, Sip by Sip

A Conversation with Maura Oerding

Maura Oerding has a mission: With the specialty coffee Angelique's Finest, she not only wants to enter new markets but also revolutionize the coffee industry. Her recipe for success? Empowering women from Rwanda and Uganda from cultivation to marketing. Oerding’s goal: quality, fairness, and self-determination in every bean.

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A diverse group of women joyfully pose together on a rooftop, celebrating female leadership and empowerment.

Female Leadership: A Key Lever for Transformation?

A Conversation with Carmen Torres Ledezma & Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters

Female Leadership is vital to the transformation of agriculture and food systems. Therefore, it is so important to advance gender-sensitive approaches to increase the presence of women in leadership positions in agricultural production and to make these systems more equitable, sustainable and resilient.

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A woman in a blue sari arranges white silk cocoons on a woven wall in a rural setting.

Gender-Transformative Approaches – Unlocking Everyone’s Potential

A Contribution by GIZ

Studies show that women often manage agricultural resources more effectively and sustainably. With equal access to production resources, agricultural yields could increase by up tp 30 per cent. But this is about more than just productivity. How can gender-transformative approaches (GTA) drive meaningful change and why are GTA key to sustainable change?

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Illustrated icons highlight six collaborations aimed at creating fair and sustainable supply chains.

Stronger toghether: Six collaborations for fair agricultural supply chains

A Listicle by Yvonne Bielfeld

For everyone in the supply chain to benefit, it is essential that politics and business work together. The measurable successes of such partnerships are demonstrated by the following six projects: they show how cooperation with the business sector can make supply chains fairer, more resilient, and more sustainable step by step.

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A woman smiles confidently inside her small shop, surrounded by various goods, symbolizing economic equality and care.

The Gap the Economy cannot afford

A Study by CARE

In a new study, the international humanitarian agency CARE analyses how the economic and social barriers faced by women significantly reduces the global gross domestic product (GDP). At the current rate, it will take 152 years to close the economic gap between women and men – although closing this gap would be extremely profitable from an economic perspective.

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A man wearing traditional attire and a purple hat stands outdoors in front of trees and a building.

"We have high expectations of the Kampala Declaration"

An Interview with Lawani Arouna

The rural population and vulnerable groups should be involved in the implementation of the African Union's Kampala Declaration on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. This is the demand of sociologist Lawani Arouna, Vice President of the Regional umbrella organisation of farmers' associations in West Africa (ROPPA).

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A group of women stands smiling on a lawn in Herrsching am Ammersee, surrounded by lush greenery and a building.

"We want to change the narrative of rural women"

A Contribution by GIZ

Development cooperation doesn't resonate in Germany? The Bavarian rural women have a different story to tell. A visit to a training session with female smallholder farmers from Kenya, Zambia and Uganda in Bavarian Herrsching am Ammersee.

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A man collects natural rubber from a tree, holding a container and tapping tool in a lush forest. | © GIZ

From the Tree to the Street: The Story of Natural Rubber

A Contribution by Carlos Castellanos & Yvonne Bielfeld

The shoe manufacturer Cueros Vélez as a good example of private sector responsibility: the photo gallery shows how the bark of the rubber tree becomes a reliable yet deforestation free companion on our roads.

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Projects

In Haute Matsiatra, two fish farmers work with nets in a rice paddy, while another sits on a rock overlooking the fields.

Sustainable Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in Rural Areas

Fish is important for combating malnutrition and undernourishment. But it is not only notable for its nutritional value, but also secures the livelihoods and employment for 600 million people worldwide.

A Project of GIZ

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A person in a denim jacket stands in a lush banana plantation, holding a bunch of green bananas.

Youth Employment in Rural Areas

The world’s population keeps on growing; with this rise comes an increased need for food as well as productive employment opportunities. Offering young people in rural areas better employment prospects is one of the objectives of the sector project. The young population is the key to a modern and efficient agricultural economy.

A project of GIZ

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