Youth Engagement and Employment in the African Agricultural Sector

Abstract

Youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing development challenges in Africa, occurring alongside the continued centrality of agriculture as a major source of livelihoods and economic activity. Despite the sector’s potential to absorb a growing youth labor force, youth engagement in agriculture remains limited, unstable, and often characterized by precarious working conditions. This study presents a literature review that synthesizes existing scholarly and policy-oriented research on youth engagement and employment in the African agricultural sector. Drawing on peer-reviewed articles, books, and institutional reports, the review examines how youth participation in agriculture has been conceptualized, the quality of employment opportunities available, and the key factors shaping youth engagement across diverse African contexts. The findings indicate that while agriculture continues to function as a significant employer of youth, it is predominantly marked by informality, low productivity, income insecurity, and limited social protection. Negative perceptions of agriculture, aspirational mismatches, and persistent structural barriers particularly limited access to land, finance, education, and markets emerge as central constraints on sustained youth participation. The review also highlights significant gaps between education and labor market needs, which undermine youth employability and the sector’s capacity for innovation. Overall, the literature reveals a fundamental contradiction between agriculture’s employment potential and the poor quality of jobs it currently offers to young people. By synthesizing key themes and identifying persistent gaps, this study contributes to a clearer understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with youth employment in African agriculture and provides a foundation for more coherent research and policy approaches.