This Monday, July 29, 2019 opened in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, a regional workshop to develop specific mobilizing projects on youth employability in the agrosylvopastoral and fisheries sector supported by regional producer organizations.

Indeed, the regional strategy on youth employability in the agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sector in the ECOWAS space was technically validated from 24 to 27 April 2019 in Dakar, Senegal. In the margins of this workshop, was held another consultation between the regional producer organizations (RPOs) on the development of specific mobilizing projects stemming from the regional strategy on youth employability.

This consultation facilitated fruitful discussions and the definition of the strategy for developing these specific mobilizing projects that will be carried by each RPO with a view to mobilizing resources from the partners.

The process is financially supported by the Swiss Cooperation.

The aim of the Ouagadougou workshop is to formulate the orientations (context / rationale, logical frameworks, budget elements, results frameworks and indicators) for youth employability program projects in the agrosylvopastoral and fisheries sector and agri-food value chains carried by the socio-professional organizations (RPO) involved in the process.

With the coaching of consultants and the Rural Hub, each RPO can (i) finalize its draft document (titles, components, activities, budget, logical framework, etc.) and (ii) discuss cross-cutting activities for synergies actions with other actors.

To recall, the economic integration of young people in the agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sector is well established in the specific objectives of the Regional Agricultural Investment and Food and Nutrition Security Program (Priasan) of the ECOWAS Regional Agricultural Policy, ECOWAP. In addition to developing value chains and strengthening production systems, ECOWAP aims to change the image of the sector, improve its attractiveness through significant investments, hence the need for this technical support to formulate mobilizing programs to offer more job opportunities to young people.

Are invited to this consultation, some resource persons from the ECOWAS Commission and the Rural Hub and representatives from the regional networks of producer organizations (ROPPA, RBM, APESS, ROAC, NANTS, FEWACCI, WLDAF, AFAO, COFENAVBI / AO, UFOA / WA, CORET, PANEPAO / WANSAFA), all involved in the implementation of the regional strategy to support youth employability in the agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries sector in West Africa.