Investing in young people living in rural areas is the key to enhance on-farm and off-farm productivity, food security and generating employment opportunities, which will reduce migration to urban areas.    This was stated by Pradeep Jain Aditya, Union Minister of State for Rural Development. He was addressing the inaugural session of the 6th Regional Policy Dialogue of Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and Pacific (CIRDAP) on ‘Role of Youth in Rural Development’ in Delhi on September 29.    The Minister further emphasised that in the present scenario, youth has to be motivated to play a pivotal role in providing leadership for the future and also for effective implementation of the developmental programmes, so that the scourge of poverty is completely eradicated from the country. He stated that over 60 per cent of the world’s rural population is comprised of youth.    A well educated and trained youth population gives the country enormous potential for economic and social development. It is therefore, important that the youth are treated as significant partners in the national development process, said the Minister.