In Uganda, the average age of a farmer is 50 and the average lifespan in the country is just 56. This means that in Uganda, as in much of Africa, as the old die there will be hardly anyone farming.

Meanwhile, about 60 per cent of the region’s unemployed people are youth. Yet they are leaving the small farms that their parents have worked all their lives to look for city jobs that are rarely found, leaving them idle, anxious and hopeless.

As it turns out, the land they left behind offers the greatest opportunities. For a farmer, just one acre can produce a steady stream of income and healthy food. I know this because I raise 10,000 fish, produce 600-720 piglets, and grow bananas, vegetables, fruits, and fodder every year on my one-acre farm, a half-hour drive from Kampala.

Low-cost technology makes this possible: Drip irrigation, biogas production from pig manure, pesticide production from vermiculture (worm digestion of manure).

I recycle everything possible. This allows me to produce more from each square metre of land, and cut back or eliminate expensive inputs like fertiliser and electricity. Just one square meter can yield 10-12 kg of onions and enough silage for several cows.

Recently a young man came to my farm for training; he was excited to see a drip irrigation system and remembered reading about it in his geography class. But he had not made the connection that it could work for him.

Young people can transfer the knowledge gained from their schooling to do farming the smart way. With evolving technology, they could utilise small pieces of land to produce high quality, high yielding crops and livestock and then enter global markets.

There is joy in earning so much from such a small piece of land, especially given that people in African countries typically spend 50 to 80 per cent of their income on food. Yet, by farming sustainably and making maximum use of the land, I serve nutritious, organic food on my table, sell the considerable surplus I grow, and go to the bank with a smile.

Innovation enables me to do so much in the limited hours of the day. I can afford to farm in the morning; teach workshops in the afternoon; attend dinners in the evening as a businesswoman; and enjoy my life as a mother and a wife.

But I have no monopoly on innovation. It is happening on small farms across Uganda and Africa. I have a neighbour who hangs mineral water bottles with the cap punctured to drip water on each tomato plant in the dry season — an ingenious form of drip irrigation. Similar systems can be scaled up and allow farmers to maintain high yields all year round.

Many farmers employ “climate-smart” farming techniques, from growing drought-tolerant crops to using mobile phones to access weather reports and plan their season.

Using the mobile phone technology, farmers can also find, attract, and sell directly to buyers, maximising their profits. One very good mobile phone application called MFarm has enabled more than 1,000 farmers to connect to each other and buyers. With the power of their numbers, they are supplying supermarkets in East Africa.

Some argue that Africa’s small farms are inefficient and their output unreliable. They see the small-scale farmer as permanently poor and of little help to the broader economy. But I see potential, commitment, and creativity. Technology makes the difference.

In fact, food can be grown with no land at all, using hydroponics — growing crops in water year-round. I incorporate this on my farm to grow fodder for my pigs and strawberries for our breakfast.

By 2040, Africa’s workforce could be 1.1 billion strong, so finding jobs for this young population should be at the forefront of governments’ agendas.

This challenge is coupled with Africa’s increasing demand for varied and nutritious foods—demand that could and should be met primarily by farmers on the African continent. Yet Africa has been spending some $35 billion in agricultural imports every year with no let up in sight.

Engaging youth in agriculture can produce all the nutritious food Africa needs. Policymakers need to foster opportunities for youth. Education is essential, including support for “learning farms” where youth and present-day farmers can gain hands-on experience with the new technologies.

Secure rights to land are also crucial, as they provide farmers with the confidence and incentive to invest for the long term. Furthermore, financing needs to be available and structured in ways that recognise it may be several years before the farmers realise sizeable returns on their investments.

In Uganda, our average lifespan is 56 — that’s too short. But a new generation of farmers working with the latest technology can provide the nutritious food and good incomes that allow people to live long and healthy lives.

When African countries approach farming as a creator of sustainable jobs, a hub of scientific innovation, and a vibrant and vital part of our communities, we can achieve food security for our region and the world.

Dr Emma Naluyima is a farmer, veterinary surgeon, mother and wife. She has been featured as one of Uganda’s 10 Best Farmers. Her farm, One Acre Unlimited, is a hub of innovation. She is a 2015 New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Institute.

E-mail: [email protected]