There is a place for youth in land reform

Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) latest results show that the youth unemployment rate in the country grew by 1.3% from 44.3% in the 4th quarter of 2023 to 45.5% in the 1st of 2024. This is unsustainable in the long run and addressing the needs of the vulnerable youth, especially those in living in disadvantaged rural areas, remains an imperative.

Alongside this high youth unemployment rate, the Stats SA survey also shows that agricultural employment in South Africa increased by 21 000 individuals during the first quarter of 2024. While these growth figures may be relatively low, they show that there are in fact employment opportunities in the agricultural sector.

One of the pressing challenges in the land reform programme is the participation of young people in Communal Property Association (CPA) led programmes.

The challenge is that many young people are reluctant to get involved in programmes around restituted land as there is a perception that the work they will be doing involves farming, which they associate with manual labour, suited to those without a formal education.

There are, however, many opportunities that go beyond physical labour. The beneficiaries of the land reform programme face numerous challenges, including, for example, forming committees, taking minutes of meetings, holding annual general meetings, keeping a schedule of dealings in land, and managing financial statements. The average age of current active members of CPAs is between 45 and 65, indicating a demographic imbalance that threatens the long-term sustainability of the land reform programme. This opens up opportunities for young people to get more involved in administration, finance and accounting, and agricultural management, among other operational opportunities.

Young people can bring a wealth of ideas to enhance the performance and efforts of CPAs. They can implement effective management and administration processes and introduce sound basic governance practices.

Youth involvement in CPAs is essential not only for the present but for the future. Challenges with youth involvement may not necessarily stem from a lack of interest but rather from a lack of understanding of the role young people can play within the CPA structure; and hence it’s important to educate young people about the diverse opportunities available on restituted land. Apart from the contribution that they can make to the efficient operation of CPAs, there are entrepreneurial opportunities available in the areas of ?eco-tourism and agro-processing.

The National Development Plan (NDP) states that “land reform will unlock the potential for a dynamic, growing, and employment-creating agricultural sector.” It’s essential that those benefiting from this growth include the youth.