BlogAfrica

From Liberia to Zimbabwe and Benin to Tanzania, advocates, legal experts and members of civil society are dismantling barriers that young women and men face in accessing land, helping to build a new generation of farmers across the continent. To learn more about this important work, join co-hosts Landesa and Yilaa Friday, Nov. 20, from 1-3pm West African Time (7 – 9 am EST) for an expert discussion.

News Security Beat, the blog of the Wilson Center, published an article by Tizai Mauto that synthesizes Landesa’s youth land rights work in Liberia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and elsewhere. He argues for securing youth land rights as a means to create work opportunities for Africa’s under- and unemployed youth while stimulating agricultural productivity.

Access to land is both a critical component and a fundamental barrier to productive youth engagement in agriculture. If properly harnessed, Africa’s nearly 420 million youth—including more than 200 million who reside in rural areas—will be the continent’s greatest asset and its engine to grow agricultural productivity and food security while reducing poverty.