IDEP and the Songhaï Center train African women and young people in agricultural entrepreneurship

A sustainable training program to drive innovative initiatives in the sector

Porto Novo, Benin - December 18th, 2024 - The empowerment of women and youth is at the heart of economic development in Africa, particularly in the agricultural sector. In response to this challenge, the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in partnership with the Songhai Center, started the training session for the second cohort of nineteen women and young entrepreneurs, at the Songhaï Center. This session, identical to the first, offers a very practical program in the field, to equip these groups to seize the advantages of agricultural entrepreneurship, but also the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The one-week face-to-face session, launched on Monday, December 16th, 2024 in Porto Novo, Benin in the Songhai Center, is led by sector experts, agricultural entrepreneurs and experienced facilitators to ensure an interactive and participatory approach.

The participants come from Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Chad and from Togo. The United Nations Resident Coordinator office in Benin also sent a participant to take part in the work.

The trainees composed mainly of women (11, or 55%), were rigorously selected following the first online session of this program which took place in 2023. The participants to this online session have acquired diverse knowledge in different areas including sustainable agricultural practices, entrepreneurship, business skills, networking, and collaboration.

At the official opening of the training workshop, Caroline Nevouet, Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator, Aminatou Sar, highlighted the alignment of the training objectives with the national priorities of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the SDGs. 1, 2, 5 and 8. She reminded participants of “their essential role in building a more prosperous and equitable future in Africa” and encouraged them to “translate the knowledge acquired into concrete actions and innovative initiatives for the benefit of local communities.”

The Director of the Songhai Center, Père Godfrey Nzamujo, underlined the importance of working the land and the difficulties linked to entrepreneurship. Also, he gave a breath of hope to all the participants by reminding that “the most important thing in entrepreneurship is materials and human capital before investments”. The Director of the Center said he was satisfied with the consolidated partnership with IDEP which increasingly offers young people the opportunity to discover the Center.

Catherine Lalyre, Training Manager at IDEP, mentioned a reality experienced by young people in Africa, namely the difficulty in finding viable opportunities due to lack of adequate skills, quoting a report from the International Labor Organization (ILO) which mentions that “agriculture remains a key sector for employment and livelihoods of young Africans”.

She urged the participants to seize the trigger that this training intends to make on the importance of agricultural entrepreneurship with all the opportunities in terms of sustainable energy that the continent offers (solar, wind, hydraulic, etc.), recalling that they all have a contribution to make towards achieving the SDGs. Ella also explained to the participants the role of IDEP within the ECA, in partnership with DANIDA (Danish Fund) which provided financial support to this activity.

Throughout the session, participants will be immersed in practical activities to enable them to address the concrete challenges they will face in the context of the AfCFTA and better prepare themselves to contribute to inclusive and sustainable agricultural development.

African Institute for Economic Development and Planning

Knowledge Management, ICT and e-Learning

Rue du 18 juin (derrière l’Assemblé nationale)

Dakar

Sénégal

Tel.: (+221) 33 829 55 00 / 33 829 55 32

Web : www.uneca.org/idep