Youth urge African leaders to move from policy to action for inclusive agricultural transformation

From 29 to 31 October 2025, Rwanda hosted the 21st Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP-PP) under the theme “From Malabo to Kampala: Accelerating Just, Resilient Agrifood Systems Transformation for Nutrition and Sustainable Growth”. This high-level gathering provided a platform to move from the Malabo Declaration (2014) to the Kampala CAADP Strategy and Ten-Year Action Plan (2026–2035), which sets the agenda for the next decade of Africa’s agricultural transformation.  

The new CAADP Strategy has a strong focus on upskilling, investing in and empowering youth to achieve resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems, particularly through its Strategic Objective 4: Advancing Inclusivity and Equitable Livelihoods. 

As underlined in FAO latest report on the Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems when governments integrate youth considerations into agricultural policies, they can support more equitable access to productive resources contributing to youth inclusion in agrifood systems. According to FAO policy review, youth mainstreaming in agricultural policies is stronger in Africa compared to other regions. However, while most African agrifood policies and investment plans (83%) prioritize youth as a target demographic, in 2023 only 11 countries reported being on-track for the Malabo commitment to "create jobs for 30% of the youth in agricultural value chains". The urge to close the policy implementation gap and move from commitments to tangible and measurable delivery resonated throughout the whole CAADP-PP meeting. 

A strong call for action was also the central theme of a youth-led side event titled "From Policy to Practice: Youth-Led financing and Innovation Pathways for Agrifood Transformation" convened on October 31 by the Consortium of African Youth in Agriculture and Climate Change (CAYACC) in partnership with FAO, African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the AUC-Germany Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD). 

Mark Kofi Fynn, FAO Policy Officer, opened the event emphasizing the need to adopt a systems thinking approach to avoid policy fragmentation and bridge different domains - agricultural and rural development, youth economic development, and financial inclusion - to develop an enabling market of financial services for youth in agribusiness. He noted how African governments have begun to integrate youth-specific objectives in National Financial Inclusion Strategies (NFIS). Notable examples are found in Cameroon, Malawi, Mauritania and Uganda.  

The importance of including youth inputs and representation in policymaking but also in coordinated policy implementation efforts, was a message that came out strongly from the panel discussion moderated by Charles Mulozi Olweny, AUC-APD Technical Coordinator. 

Chikondi Mbewe, youth climate ambassador from Zambia, noted how African policies sound progressive on paper but lack adequate funding, coordination and accountability mechanisms for implementation and impact on the ground. The biggest gaps relate to limited access to finance and land, but also weak youth voices in policy and decision making. 

Sakina Usengimana, chairperson of Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF) and youth representative of the East African Farmer Federation (EAFF), called on governments and development partners to formally establish a youth seat in national CAADP coordination mechanisms for youth to be embedded structurally, not just symbolically, and be able to co-design successful and sustainable programs. “We don’t want to be beneficiaries, target numbers; we want to be actors and contribute” - she said, referring to a Call to Action pronounced by youth representatives during the 2024 Africa Youth in Agribusiness Forum.  

Baliqees Salaudeen-Ibrahim, founder of Green Republic Farm from Nigeria, addressed the issue of supporting youth enterprises and ag-tech startups by making agricultural technology and innovation relevant, accessible and affordable to young people in rural communities, and by bringing acceleration programs, grants and similar opportunities closer to them.  

Ounas Rosrtom, head of Biofertech and CAYACC North Africa focal point from Algeria, flagged the importance of implementing open innovation programs to empower youth and scale their agricultural innovation solutions among farmers and public institutions.  Rose Wangithi, founder of Agri-Edu Food Network Magazine from Kenya, reiterated the importance of involving youth not only in the design but also in the implementation of transformative agrifood policies. 

On financing models, the panellists mentioned the need to go beyond grants and provide youth agripreneurs with tailored financial products accompanied by mentorship support. They also challenged the narrative that focuses on innovation and AI to make agriculture attractive for the young generations, calling for increased investments in youth access to land and profitable markets.  

Decision-makers in the audience, such as H.E. Françoise Uwumukiza, Member of Rwanda’s Parliament and the Africa Food System Parliamentary Network, encouraged youth to be ambassadors of change and recommended joining youth cooperatives and networks for stronger advocacy and easier access to support.

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This initiative is part of a project financed by the German cooperation aimed at promoting uptake of the CFS Policy Recommendations on Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition. The project is implemented by FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) in close collaboration with the CFS Secretariat, the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) and the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU).