Rapid urbanization in Africa is creating opportunities to strengthen rural economies, as demand for food rises in cities and towns.

That’s according to a major new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), published on Monday, which argues that a “sweeping transformation” is needed to unlock the potential of the countryside and stop the depopulation of rural areas.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2017 report says that with the number of young people aged 15-24 due to rise by around 100 million up to 2030—almost all in sub-Saharan Africa—rural areas need support to grow more food and foster industrial growth, away from the big cities.

Murielle Sarr spoke to Andrea Cattaneo, a senior economist with FAO in Rome, and asked him to outline the challenge facing sub-Saharan Africa today.

Duration: 3’09”