By Witness Radio Team.
Throughout Africa, youth leaders are sounding the alarm about the escalating rates of migration and displacement. They point to a root cause: the exclusion of young people from land governance and the prevalence of insecure land rights. This is not a future problem, but an urgent issue that demands immediate attention.
Advocates and experts emphasized at the Land and Youth Digital Conference, which the Land Portal Foundation virtually hosted, that safe access to land is not only about ownership but also about empowering young people to invest, invent, and create futures in their local communities, rather than forcing them to migrate.
According to the World Bank, 1.2 billion young people will reach working age in developing countries over the next decade, yet only 420 million jobs are projected to be created. This stark reality underscores the urgent need for reforms in land governance. Without these reforms, millions will remain trapped in poverty, joblessness, and insecurity, fueling waves of forced migration, both within and beyond borders.
Guillaume Sanlegbeu, a rural land rights specialist working on Côte d’Ivoire’s World Bank–supported projects, highlights the potential of secure tenure. He points out that it could play a significant role in reducing migration pressures and encouraging rural investment, thereby addressing the issue at its core.
“Whenever land is insecure, youth are the first to pay the price. Conflict often leads to displacement, but land insecurity itself also creates an exodus. Secure tenure encourages agricultural investment, strengthens rural economies, and limits forced migrations. When youth know they cannot be pushed off their land, they are willing to stay, invest, and grow.” Sanlegheu adds.
However, the reality in Africa is different, with young people making up the majority of the population. According to Witness Radio’s own analysis, a large number of young people are unaware of the importance of land governance and frequently fall victim to exploitative deals that deprive them of their futures and inheritance.
According to the 2024 Uganda National Population and Housing Census report, 51 percent of Ugandans aged 18–30 are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) — effectively “idle.” This widespread idleness has become both a social and economic time bomb. With little to occupy them, many young people are compelled to seek “green pastures” abroad, often ending up in exploitative or low-paying jobs in the Middle East and beyond.
Others, disillusioned and excluded from formal opportunities, turn their backs on agriculture, dismissing it as a “dirty job.” In desperation, some even sell off the only land they own, their lifeline, leaving themselves and their families more vulnerable to poverty, displacement, and dispossession. Today, migration has become the order of the day for Uganda’s youth, a forced escape from a country that has failed to guarantee them secure livelihoods and dignity at home.
Jeff Wokulira Ssebaggala, Team Leader at Witness Radio, stresses the need for youth empowerment. He emphasizes that if young people were equipped with the knowledge and guidance to invest in agriculture wisely, the cycle of displacement and migration could be broken. This underscores the importance of guiding youth in utilizing their energy productively during their youthful stage.
Witness Radio advocates for young people to have a voice, participate in the decision-making process of their future, and play a role in shaping how land is owned, distributed, and utilized.
During the conference, Annick Assahon, president of the non-profit Renaissance Terre, pointed out that beyond legal barriers, young people also face social stigmas viewing agriculture as a low-status occupation. However, with secure land rights and sustainable practices like agroforestry, farming can become a dignified and profitable path. This transformation of agriculture can bring pride and prosperity to the youth, offering a hopeful vision for the future.
The conference, which attracted over 1,000 young participants online, emphasized that land governance must be inclusive and participatory. Secure access to land, panelists argued, is one of the most strategic investments governments can make to foster inclusive growth, prevent displacement, and reduce irregular migration.
“We must ensure that everyone, especially the youth, has access to land. Inclusion means more young people involved in decision-making processes, in land politics, and in shaping programs that impact their futures,” experts declared. This emphasis on youth involvement can make them feel empowered and integral to the process.
The message to policymakers was clear: that land security is not a side issue but a cornerstone of rural transformation, employment creation, and climate resilience. Youth leaders are calling for ambitious policies that secure tenure, improve local land governance, and acknowledge youth as key players in land management as the talks move toward COP30.
The 30th UN climate conference will take place from 10 to 21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
Without action, experts warn, the cost will be devastating, a generation forced to migrate not out of choice, but because insecure land systems robbed them of hope.
