ILO and FAO jointly promote decent work for rural youth through the YAPASA programme

LUSAKA, (ILO News) – The ILO-led UN Joint Programme with FAO, YAPASA and FTESA together hosted a Soybean Public-Private Policy Dialogue (PPD) in Chisamba, Zambia from 30 June – 1 July 2016.

The meeting was officially opened by Ms Agnes Musunga, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, who outlined key policy constraints in the sector that need reforms. Ms. Musunga in her statement highlighted challenges in the policy and regulatory mechanisms, proliferation of counterfeit soybean inputs including seeds, herbicides, and inoculants, enforcement of quality standards as well as introduction of genetically modified soybeans.

In her remarks, Ms Musunga further stated that there is a lot of potential for the youth to achieve through the promotion of the soybean value chain, which have been classified by NEPAD as a strategic crop for boosting national food security in Zambia.

The Policy dialogue event brought together concerned Ministries and private sector representatives to develop a roadmap with clear activities in order to identify policy and regulatory constraints facing the soybean sector in Zambia. The meeting further established an action group comprising of key private sector actors and other stakeholders who will be responsible for influencing reforms through the implementation of the roadmap and drive forward the advocacy issues in the soybean sector.

Background information

Yapasa is a Joint United Nations Programme between the International Labour Organization and the Food Agriculture Organization that takes a market facilitation approach to promote decent jobs for rural youth and improved food security through the development of sustainable rural enterprises. The programme focuses on two value chains: Soybeans and Aquaculture. Both value chains are considered to have high potential for improving incomes and food security for rural youth and households.