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The future is rural

2017-04-24

Young African entrepreneurs gave their generation a vocie during the G-20 conference in Berlin. "World Without Hunger" asked six of them, how more jobs can be created in rural areas.

Workshop "Rural Future Lab" (c) Simon Veith

Lunah Njeri is the national sales and marketing manager of Bell Industries Ltd., a company that specialises in the manufacture, import and sale of agricultural supplies for the Kenyan market. In 2014, she headed up the rollout of airtight PICS bags to Kenya. PICS bags prevent seeds from rotting and keep them safe from pests during storage. Lunah is tasked with training smallholders to use these bags and with establishing a nationwide distribution network. She is determined to transform Kenyan society from mere consumers to technology-adept producers that invest regionally, thus strengthening the local economy. A farmer herself, Lunah runs Dudu Farm where she breeds worms as chicken feed, which she used to supply to local poultry farms. Today, however, Dudu Farm no longer operates in the business-to-business market but exclusively in the business-to-consumer market.

For the near future, Nana Adjoa Sifa Amponsah dreams of a society 23in which young female farmers in particular are proud of their job. She believes that agribusiness is the only economic sector that can address the most pressing problems worldwide, such as unemployment, food insecurity, poverty, hunger and malnutrition. To help this dream become reality, this young Ghanaian initiated Guzakuza – a regional, social enterprise committed to raising awareness of sustainable farming. In particular, Nana wants to address African women in order to strengthen the local economy and ensure healthy nutrition and productive agriculture. Guzakuza, which in Swahili means ‘grow to touch lives’, offers skills training, internship, coaching, mentoring and counselling and organises cooperation. Nana is currently working as team leader and has four full-time employees, two parttime employees and ten voluntary staff. In addition, she is active as president of the Direct Impact Foundation which aims to close the gap between rural and urban education in Ghana. In the past, this 28-year-old Ghanaian has also gathered experience through internships at several international organisations and companies. She is a member of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development and is active on the World Pulse platform and in the Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs. Nana is also a “Global Shaper” of the world ecomomic forum, as well as British Councils’ Active Citizen, a fellow at the New York University’s GWSLP and participant of “Kanthari international”. For the future, she would especially like to see more initiatives for women and young people in rural Ghana.

Paul Zaake is the cofounder and executive director of RECO, a community-based organisation that promotes sustainable agriculture, climate change action and environmental conservation. Funded through donations, training, sales, private-sector contributions and various other sources, RECO focuses on social entrepreneurship. As part of the programme, Paul founded a juice processing and packaging factory with five full-time and four part-time employees. This year, he extended his business by launching an initiative for the solar-powered production of dried fruits destined for the local market and for export, too. Through his work, Paul catalyses the potential hidden in his community and provides basic and further training to enable his peers to farm their country more sustainably. More than 75 young adults have already undergone special valueadded training based on locally sourced materials. Paul Zaacke grew up in rural Rakai and holds a BSc degree in agriculture. At present, he is studying the MA in Climate Change and Adaptation at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. Paul regularly visits his homeland and is determined to continue improving his projects there.

Halatou Dem is the managing director of Danaya Céréales, a grain-processing family business that specialises in fonio. Fonio is a type of millet that is highly resilient and can thus reach maturity very quickly even on barren land. Halatou joined her mother’s company in 2009, taking over management of the business in 2011. Still very much part of the company’s philosophy today is the inceptive idea of helping women – who are typically responsible for processing grain in the home – while making money in the process. Precooked fonio remains Danaya Céréales’ main product, with up to 1,000 metric tons processed each year for the domestic market, and increasingly for the international market, too. International demand is fuelled by Malians living abroad who wish to continue enjoying the products of their homeland. Halatou prefers to employ women, a target group whose working and living conditions she aims to advance with her business policy.

Luwayo Biswick describes himself as a passionate farmer. He has his own plot of land near Lilongwe the capital of Malawi situated at the heart of the southeast African country where he demonstrates on how to grow all sorts of crops without using synthetic chemicals and fertilizers. He is able to grow enough and surplus for sell. Luwayo grew up in poverty. Until he was 17 years old, he lived at tobacco farms where his parents worked as tobacco farmers. In his childhood, he and his family often suffered hunger. In 2009 he discovered permaculture through a friend and this was his turning point. Luwayo decided to take action against rural poverty and the famine in his country. Besides working as a farmer, the young agribusiness specialist is employed by the Kusamala Institute of Agriculture & Ecology as permaculture trainer. Permaculture is an approach based on sustainable, endurable, natural cycles. By cultivating self-sufficient gardens, food can be produced in a particularly sustainable manner. Locally, Luwayo is recognised as a community leader as this agriculturalist has successfully found a way to rise above his difficult childhood and build his self-confidence. The 30-year-old farmer is highly motivated to expand his knowledge further in order to open up new opportunities for young farmers in Malawi. He finds the apathy of many people in his country particularly frustrating and is therefore keen to find new ways of inspiring young people around him. Luwayo believes there is no limitation to the abundance of yields one would get from the planet being it rural or urban but what limits us is the capacity of our imagination.

Samadi Ruterford has a small five-hectare agropastoral farm in the north of Benin. Agropastoralism describes a traditional form of farming that combines pastoralism (livestock raising on natural meadows) and crop cultivation. As founder of AgriSam, Samadi specialises in the local production and sale of feed for poultry, fish and small ruminants. Also, AgriSam is an incubation centre for small businesses and young farmers. They are specialised in teaching and accompanying young agriculturalists in the local region. Furthermore, Samadi works as a farmer and keeps pigs, fish, poultry, cows, rabbits and geese himself. Samadi mainly produces rice, soy and maize. He is one of few farmers in northern Benin that can run their farming business without state support. In addition to agriculture, he also operates a startup centre for young agri-entrepreneurs. Dedicated, determined and with considerable entrepreneurial elan, his goal is to use AgriSam to end rural poverty in Benin. His plan: to create new jobs and promote young entrepreneurs in rural Benin.

Back to overview

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A project of GIZ

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A contribution by Welthungerhilfe

Africa is home to the world’s youngest and fastest growing population. For many young people, agriculture could offer a job perspective. But to improve the living conditions and job prospects of young people in rural areas, political reforms and investments are desperately needed, as these people will be at the centre of agriculture and agricultural development in the future.

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.

Pesticides – a blessing or a curse?

A debate between Lena Luig and Ludger Weß

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Video by Frank Schultze and Jan Rübel

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A contribution by Irene Hoffmann (FAO)

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How the UN Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) contribute to fairer and more secure land access.

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Indian farmers restore precious soil material combining traditional with innovative approaches. A case example how governance, agriculture and development cooperation can work together to combat climate change.

Digitalization: The Driving Force in the Future of Agriculture?

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At the ICTforAg conference in March 2022, the digital agriculture community exchanged on the challenges and opportunities associated with the next green revolution.

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Based on a scientific study by TMG Think Tank, the authors highlight various challenges in the fight against the hunger crisis. The findings show that climate change, conflict and covid-19 are increasing food and energy prices.

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Nations adopted four goals and 23 targets for 2030 to foster biodiversity conservation and counter acceleration in the global rate of species extinction at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).

"Human capital will play a pivotal role in the transformation of African economies"

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A contribtion by WE4F

How can the challenges related to water, rural development and climate resilient agriculture be addressed? What innovations need to be promoted? The Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) initiative presents strategies and innovations for sustainable, integrated water management in German and international cooperation.

From reaction to action

A contribtion by GIZ

A Year of Multiple Crises: Russian war against Ukraine, extreme weather events, high prices for energy and fertilizer, food crisis had severe implications for food security and agriculture globally and especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Transformation of the food systems is needed.

New legal initiatives towards deforestation-free supply chains as a game changer

A Contribution by Gerhard Langenberger

Regarding deforestation free supply chains, there are challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers as well as for international forest governance. Also, responsibilities for companies and potential incentives for manufacturers to use materials from fair trade and sustainable sources need to be explored. But what does “deforestation-free” actually mean?

2022, a year of crisis – What does it mean for African trade and food security?

A Contribution by Ousmane Badiane

The Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor 2022 (AATM) was published by IFPRI and AKADEMIYA2063. The report analyses the short- and long-term trends and drivers of African agricultural trade flows, including regional policies and the role of global markets.

How the War against Ukraine Destabilizes Global Grain Markets

A Contribution by GIZ

Since early February 2022, two of the biggest grain and oilseed exporters have been at war. An overview, which countries are affected most severely by the destabilized grain markets, and what comes next.

Controversy: Do supply chains need liability rules?

Discussion about the potential supply chain law

The German government is struggling to pass a supply chain law. It is intended to address violations of human rights, social and environmental standards. What would the consequences be for business? A double interview with Veselina Vasileva from GEPA and economics professor Andreas Freytag.

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Interview with Jann Lay (GIGA)

The Corona pandemic is hitting economies around the world very hard - but developments in African countries are quite diverse. There are different speeds, resiliences and vulnerabilities. What are the reasons for this? Apl. Prof. Jann Lay of the GIGA Institute provides answers.

Sustainable, feminist and socially just: The new Africa strategy of the BMZ

A contribution by Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge

In the video format "#99SecondsWith" of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Prof. Dr Anna - Katharina Hornidge talks about the new Africa-Strategy of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Do import restrictions really benefit the local poor in West Africa?

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Protectionist policies like tariffs supposedly protect domestic producers if they cannot compete with cheaper imported products. Some African countries have therefore opted to impose such import restrictions for a number of products. For the case of chicken imports in Ghana, this study analyses whether restrictions would lead to overall positive or negative welfare effects among households.

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.

Farmers' organizations want to be involved in designing agricultural policy

An interview with Kolyang Palebele

Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. "Women and young people need access to land. And they need financial support to cultivate this land." - says Kolyang Palebele, President of the Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO).

Agricultural policy belongs in prime time

An interview with Dr. Julia Köhn

Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. Dr Julia Köhn, Chair of the German AgriFood Society, points out in the interview: Only if innovation and transformation are profitable in the medium term can they close the food gap in the long term.

BMZ releases video on the transformation of agricultural and food systems

A contribution by GIZ

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has released a video on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. In the video, Federal Minister Svenja Schulze also speaks about the urgent need to combat global hunger and contribute to resilient agricultural and food systems.

“More of the same is not enough - we need to rethink”

An interview with Dirk Meyer

Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. Dirk Meyer, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, thinks: less individual solutions are needed, but more systemic approaches. Because in addition to the goals for food security, the issues of climate and biodiversity must also be taken into account.

Unlocking the potential of agrivoltaics

A contribution by Fraunhofer Institute

Agrivoltaics is a concept that combines photovoltaic electricity generation and agricultural production, providing the opportunity for a more efficient land use and contributing overall to the integration of food, energy and water systems. This can be particularly interesting for countries in the Global South, where rural electrification rates are often low and food security needs to be improved.

Partners for change - Network meeting on transforming agricultural and food systems

A Contribution by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

At the network meeting "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future", almost 250 participants from over 20 countries came together to exchange experiences and ideas on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. The final product, joint recommendations to transform agricultural and food systems, can now be read online.

Just change starts with listening

A Contribution by Jan Rübel

Halfway through the 2030 Agenda, the BMZ invited participants to a network meeting entitled "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future". Experts from around the world developed recommendations in a consultation process and then consolidated them in Berlin. A site visit.

What is needed for a long-term fertiliser strategy?

A contribution by Michael Brüntrup

The world is currently experiencing a historic food crisis. High fertiliser prices are part of the problem. In addition to the necessary short-term aid measures, the crisis ought to be made use of to develop and implement longer-term fertiliser strategies for sustainable, in particular smallholder increases in production in the Global South.

Think20 Policy Brief centres on Agroecology

Insights from the T20 Policy Brief

Given the urgency of transforming agricultural and food systems, GIZ India's Food Systems and Agroecology Working Group is exploring the potential of agroecology in collaboration with Think20 partners. A policy brief has now been published.

A Call to Action against Desertification

A contribution by GIZ

Every second, worldwide, we lose valuable and healthy soil with the size of four football fields. This was only one of the many facts being presented to a wide audience in Bonn and worldwide via livestream at the World Desertification and Drought Day on 17th June 2024. This was the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Combatting Desertification (UNCCD), which was celebrated at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.

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.

Cultivating tomorrow

A Contribution by GIZ

Africa’s largest youth generation has the potential to transform agriculture sustainably. Young entrepreneurs like Febelsa in Mozambique are building agricultural businesses that fuel local growth.

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.

A framework for sustainable and fair agriculture and food systems

A Contribution by Gideon Tups

The guiding orientation framework developed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) summarizes the requirements for the transformation of agriculture and food systems – and identifies principles and approaches for transformative change.

African Union sets the Way for the Future

A Contribution by GIZ

From January 9 to 11, 2025, heads of state and government of the African Union met in Kampala, Uganda. With a clear vision and concrete measures, the Kampala Agenda aims to make the continent's agricultural and food systems climate-resilient, fair and future-proof by 2035.

Guide to a Sustainable Cocoa Sector

A Contribution by Jens Busma

The Federal Ministry ofor Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) presented a revised version of the 10-Point Plan for a sustainable cocoa sector. The plan takes into account new supply chain legislations and current developments. A particular focus is paid to a living incomes, responsible purchasing practices and ecological and climate-friendly cocoa cultivation.

"We didn't even make it halfway"

Interview with Claudia Brück and Torben Erbrath

The demand for fair-trade cocoa is growing – but how is the industry responding? In an interview, Claudia Brück, Executive Board Member of Fairtrade Germany, and Dr. Torben Erbrath, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry, discuss progress as well as challenges, and why real change can only be achieved through long-term commitment along the entire supply chain.

From Pledges to Progress: Nutrition at the Heart of Inclusive Development

A Contriution by GIZ

At the Nutrition for Growth 2025 Summit in Paris, Team Europe, comprising the European Commission and Member States, put nutrition at the centre of international politics as a driver for resilience, equality and human rights. There is a consensus on the results of the summit: to turn commitments into concrete progress through strong partnerships and innovative approaches.

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.

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?

BIOFACH as a game changer for organic producers

A Contribution by Claudia Jordan

In 2025, GIZ and the Import Promotion Desk (IPD) celebrate ten years of successful cooperation. With their joint stand at BIOFACH trade fair in Nuremberg, they were able to introduce over 300 organic companies of partner countries to the European market. And the journey continues – despite challenges on the global market.

Adapted financial services – a key to transformation

A Contribution by GIZ

In March, delegations from nine partner countries met in Berlin at the Partner Conference Scaling Access to Finance for Agripreneurs. Alongside AUDA-NEPAD, IFAD, BMZ, GIZ, and others, around 100 participants worked on practical solutions to support financial inclusion in agricultural transformation and hand over their conclusions to the AU's Kampala CAADP process.

Working together to improve global nutrition

A Contribution by Jan Rübel

The global fight against malnutrition needs more than just words - as demonstrated by the Nutrition for Growth summit in Paris. With comprehensive commitments and clear receivables, a signal has been sent: Healthy nutrition must become a global priority. But what do participants from countries such as Yemen and Timor Leste think?

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The future is rural

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A contribution by Michael Brüntrup

Insights from the T20 Policy Brief

A contribution by GIZ

By Claudia Jordan

A Contribution by GIZ

A Contribution by GIZ

A Contribution by Gideon Tups

A Contribution by GIZ

A Contribution by Jens Busma

Interview with Claudia Brück and Torben Erbrath

A Contriution by GIZ

A Conversation with Carmen Torres Ledezma & Oluwaseyi Kehinde-Peters

A Contribution by GIZ

A Contribution by Claudia Jordan

A Contribution by GIZ

A Contribution by Jan Rübel