b'AGRICULTUREis the backbone of the economy in many places in Africa. It is well positioned to help countries contend with high rates of hunger and unemployment. But there is work to be done. Engaging young people, who make up the majority of the population, is critical to capitalizing on agriculture as a means of creating jobs, strengthening local food systems and reducing hunger across the continent.Mobile banking is a simple but meaningful technological solution for young farmers like Hellen Owuor. Marketing 101 AGRICULTUREFOR GROWTHFarming in Africa isnt always profitablebut it can be. However, young people face a Technology Training host of challenges that hinder productivity and income generation. These barriers have contributed to a generational disinterest in agriculture.Technology has an important role to play in this context. Tech can change how the sector is perceived among youth, along with Finance Markets improving the availability of food for the continents growing population. The right support can go a long way in helpingTo inspire young farmers, Heifer youth improve yields, feed communities andis improving access to modern earn sustainable income through agriculture.equipment and low-cost Our projects focus on creating opportunity,digital services, such as mobile connecting young people to affordablephone apps and SMS that offer technology, training, finance, markets andinformation, weather forecasts other means of transforming arduous farmand formal banking. We also labor into a promising profession.recently launched the AYuTe Africa Challenge, an annual competition to support promising 10 Heifer is committed toyoung agritech innovators.Technology is how we can leapfrog, said Adesuwa Ifedi, unlocking the potentialHeifer Internationals senior vice of young African farmers.president of Africa programs. We work in 10 countriesYoung Africans have the power across the continent toto transform Africas agricultural provide youth with tools andsector [by] taking up technology resources to build productiveto address the problems farmers agricultural livelihoodsandare facing at the farm level.bright futures.Learn more at HEIFER.ORG/AGTECH21'