NEPAD senior Coordinator at the office of the CEO, Fati N'zi-Hassane has called on African governments to make youth employment a priority insisting it is the swiftest vehicle for poverty alleviation and women empowerment.

Speaking at the African Agribusiness Incubation Network Conference and Expo in Dakar, Senegal, Madam Fati N'zi-Hassane charged policymakers, especially government to prioritize youth employment.

In her keynote address to the gathering on the topic: The future of Jobs for the youth and women in Africa - Agriculture, Agribusiness and Food Systems, Madam N'zi-Hassane noted that the growing youth on the continent are engrossed in a paradox of uncertainty with regards to what they really stand to gain as they strive to contribute to national development.

"The youth don't want to just survive but they want a decent living. For most of them, this translates into a decent job - some of them need to fulfill a vocation, some of them have identified business opportunities and are ready to take the risk, find the capital and invest it. They spend their money and sleepless nights just hoping they will be lucky to succeed.

"How can Agribusiness help us to fulfill all of these - a decent living, a vocation and tremendous business opportunities?

"The absolute precondition is to make youth employment, entrepreneurship and agribusiness absolute priorities in all African countries. This should be captured in national development plans and strategies and be translated in solid inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms in order to make sure that every aspect of the department contribute effectively towards this common goal," she noted.

The event was attended by several youths and women from various African countries saw the participation of many agencies including CTA, AATF, GIZ, PAF, InterAfrican Bureau For Animal Resources as well as the African Development Bank all centering their interventionary measures towards job creation for the youth and women on the continent.

The Conference and Expo, under the theme: Youth engagement in Agribusiness trade and investment - was well attended by youth and women from all over the world including Finland, the Netherlands, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mauritius, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast etc.