Africa-Press – Uganda. Young people in Busoga have called on government, the private sector, and development partners to urgently redesign agricultural programmes to better reflect their realities, warning that systemic barriers continue to lock them out of the agrifood economy.
The appeal was made during the Young Africa Works 2026 Dialogue Uganda held at Jinja Nile Resort, which convened more than 250 stakeholders, including policymakers, youth leaders, and private sector actors, to discuss pathways toward a more inclusive agrifood system.
Participants stressed that agriculture still holds strong potential for employment and entrepreneurship, but current models remain unattractive and inaccessible. Jessica Asabaawebwa, co-founder of Nyonta Juice Enterprise, said the challenge lies in the operating environment rather than youth disinterest.
“Young people are not rejecting agriculture; they are rejecting the low returns, high risks, and subsistence models that make it unviable,” she said, adding that access to affordable and appropriate financing remains a major constraint.
Mastercard Foundation representative Adrian Bukenya acknowledged that while agrifood systems present significant opportunities, young people face persistent barriers in accessing land, finance, skills, inputs, and markets.
“This dialogue is intended to help us identify practical solutions and strengthen collaboration across the system,” he said, noting that future efforts will focus on inclusion, scaling proven approaches, and investing in evidence and learning.
Recent figures from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) highlight the scale of the challenge. According to the 2024 national census, 49.5 percent of youth in Busoga are not in employment, education, or training (NEET), with young women disproportionately affected. Nationally, Uganda’s youth NEET rate stands at about 38 to 40 percent, indicating that Busoga is significantly worse off.
Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, Joseph Muvawala, warned that Uganda risks missing its demographic dividend without deliberate investment in youth.
“Uganda’s future depends on how effectively we prepare our young people to participate productively in the economy,” he said, pointing to land access as a critical bottleneck.
He noted that land is increasingly treated as a speculative asset rather than a productive resource, leaving many young people without access despite large portions remaining underutilised.
Dr. Muvawala called for stronger collaboration between government, development partners, and the private sector, urging stakeholders to scale successful models such as the Stimulating Agribusiness for Youth Employment (SAYE).
Implemented by Heifer International Uganda in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the programme targets 250,000 youth by 2029 across Busoga and has already supported over 90,000 young people with technical, financial, and entrepreneurial skills.
Programme representative William Matovu said the initiative uses multiple pathways, including agri-hubs, enterprise support, and incubation programmes for young innovators.
Stakeholders agreed that fragmented interventions must give way to coordinated and scalable solutions. Young people were also encouraged to actively shape the conversation and share their experiences.
The dialogue concluded with a clear message: without addressing structural barriers and aligning programmes to youth realities, agriculture will remain an underutilised pathway for tackling unemployment in Busoga.
