Agroecology is a transformative approach to food systems. This how to paper by GIZ presents a theoretical basis and concrete case study examples on how agroecology can be leveraged to create jobs for rural youth in Africa, on farm as well as up- and down-stream in supply chains. If systemically implemented, agroecology further creates numerous co-benefits including improved food security and nutrition, increased resilience and mitigation of negative social and environmental externalities associated with traditional or conventional agricultural and food systems.