National strategy for youth involvement in agriculture 2016-2021
In Tanzania, the youths provide an opportunity for increased economic development through their involvement in agriculture, which is the main activity in rural areas. The Tanzanian population and housing census (PHC, 2012) shows that, about 67 per cent of labour force comprises of the youths aged between 15 and 35 years, and mostly unemployed. Accordingly, there is a significant relationship in terms of the economy, employment, investment growth rates and poverty.
The youths have the potential to make significant contributions to agricultural development at different levels and can provide a tremendous opportunity for developing an agricultural based rural economy if properly harnessed. Furthermore, the growing economy can produce many employment opportunities, only if the available youth’s labour force is fully utilised, leading to the increase in income per capital with a significant contribution to poverty reduction.