Youth urged to embrace farming for income, innovation

African youth challenged to turn farming into a driver of jobs and innovation. [File Courtesy]

African youth have been challenged to perceive agriculture not only as farming but as a pathway to wealth creation, food security and employment.

The challenge was given by Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Dr Telesphore Ndabamenye, in a discussion hosted by AGRA in Rwanda. 

“You cannot market what you do not have,” said the Minister, emphasising the need to prioritise food production before focusing on profits.

“In the food systems journey, we must first secure food. From food comes cash and from cash come jobs,” he added. The Minister also urged young people to take a more proactive role in shaping the agricultural sector.

The event brought together young agripreneurs, policymakers and development partners for a youth-led dialogue on the future of Africa’s food systems, highlighting how stronger agri-food systems could create jobs, enterprise opportunities and innovation for the continent’s growing youth population.

Across Africa, agriculture employs a large share of the population, yet many young people still view the sector as a last resort rather than a viable economic pathway.

Limited access to finance, markets, land and enterprise support services often play an obstacle role in preventing youth from entering or scaling agribusiness ventures.

Ndabamenye noted that while development partners are supporting youth initiatives, young people themselves must lead the transformation.

“Partners such as AGRA and the Mastercard Foundation are already supporting youth initiatives, but young people must also step forward and play a bigger role. We want youth to help us produce healthy foods for our populations. When food systems are strong, the economy becomes stronger,” he said.

Nana Amoah, AGRA’s director for Gender, Youth and Inclusiveness, emphasised that empowering young people is central to transforming Africa’s food systems.

“We want to bring more young people on board in shaping Africa’s food future,” said Amoah.

“Young people are not just beneficiaries, they are innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders in the food system,” she added.

Through the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) initiative and related programmes, AGRA supports youth-led agribusiness development by strengthening the systems around young entrepreneurs.