The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has emphasised the transformative potential of agriculture in tackling youth unemployment across Africa, describing the sector as a critical pathway to economic growth, stability, and peace on the continent.

Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values on Thursday, June 4, Mr. Opoku highlighted the growing employment crisis facing Africa's youth and called for strategic investments in agriculture to unlock millions of jobs.

According to the minister, between 10 and 12 million young Africans enter the labour market each year, yet only about three million formal jobs are created annually, leaving millions without meaningful employment opportunities.

"Approximately 10 to 12 million young Africans enter the labour market each year, while only about three million formal jobs are created annually," Mr. Opoku stated.

He warned that the widening gap between job seekers and available employment opportunities continues to fuel social and economic challenges across the continent.

"The resulting unemployment and underemployment create social pressures that often contribute to migration, instability, and conflict. Indeed, poverty remains one of the greatest drivers of insecurity," he said.

Mr. Opoku stressed that agriculture should not be viewed merely as a sector for food production but as a powerful engine for employment generation and economic transformation.

"Where livelihoods collapse, social tensions often rise. Agriculture, therefore, represents more than food production. It represents employment. It represents stability. It represents wealth creation. It represents peace," he emphasised.

The Minister noted that significant investment in agricultural value chains could create millions of jobs while strengthening food security and boosting economic development across Africa.

Citing available evidence, Mr Opoku said a strategic investment of approximately US$50 billion in African agriculture could generate between 10 million and 20 million direct and indirect jobs.

"Available evidence suggests that strategic investment of US$50 billion in African agriculture, particularly across value chains including processing, logistics, storage, mechanisation and agribusiness development, could generate between 10 and 20 million direct and indirect jobs," he noted.

He urged African governments, development partners, and private investors to prioritise agriculture as a key driver of employment and sustainable development, particularly for the continent's growing youth population.