Why youth hold the key to future of Sustainable Food Systems in Africa

Africa is facing a food crisis, and it’s getting worse! The undeniable impacts of climate change are profoundly affecting Africa, severely compromising its food systems through disruptions in agricultural production, storage, distribution, and market systems.

Africa's youth, who make up a significant portion of the population, are particularly vulnerable to these crises. They face the brunt of climate impacts, from job insecurity in climate-sensitive sectors to heightened food insecurity and health risks. With the continent's food production anticipated to decrease due to climate stresses, and food imports expected to triple by 2025, there is an urgent need for sustainable solutions that enhance food security and climate resilience.

Amidst these challenges and opportunities, African youth play a pivotal role. Young people are increasingly involved in driving the transition towards sustainable agricultural practices. They bring innovative approaches to agroecology, leveraging technology and sustainable farming techniques to enhance productivity and sustainability.

Their active participation is crucial as they stand to inherit the consequences of current practices and are key to forging a sustainable path forward. Engaging youth in agroecology not only empowers them but also ensures that the agricultural sector remains vibrant and resilient to the changing climate.

Climate change

Imagine being a young person in Africa today. You’re staring at a future where the jobs you thought you’d have might disappear because of climate change. You’re worried about whether there will be enough food for you and your family. And you’re concerned about how all of this will affect your health. It’s a lot to deal with.

But here’s the exciting part: Africa’s youth aren’t just sitting back and watching this happen. They’re rolling up their sleeves and getting to work. And that’s exactly what the continent needs right now.

Consider the numbers. Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30, according to the United Nations. That’s a lot of energy, fresh ideas and people who have a big stake in making sure there’s a bright future ahead.

These young Africans are adapting new ways to farm that work with nature, not against it. They’re called agroecological practices, and they’re all about farming in a way that’s good for the land, for the farmers, and for the consumers of the food.

Young people are also bringing tech into farming in really cool ways. They’re using smartphones to get weather updates and market prices, and drones to check on crops. And they’re creating apps that connect farmers directly to customers. Meanwhile, they’re examining traditional farming methods and finding ways to combine them with new ideas to create solutions that truly work for Africa.

Recognizing the critical role of youth in addressing these issues, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) in 2018 emphasized the importance of empowering African youth to be actively involved in combating the food and climate crises. The AFSA Youth Platform was created to provide a dedicated space that puts African youth at the forefront of the transition to agroecology for improving African food systems.

Food systems

In 2023, it held a major meeting where young folks from all over Africa discussed the challenges they were facing in regard to food systems transformation and came up with ideas to solve them.

But here’s the problem: a lot of these great ideas aren’t getting the attention they deserve. Young innovators often don’t get the chance to show their solutions to the people who make big decisions about agriculture and climate policy.

That’s why I’m excited to announce that AFSA through her AFSA Youth Platform, and in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia, will convene the first Thousand Africa Youth Summit on Food Systems and Agroecology in Addis Ababa from October 14-16. The gathering leads up to World Food Day, which is a perfect time to focus on these issues. AFSA also is making sure that half of the participants are female, and from diverse constituents including – farmers, entrepreneurs, climate and environment activists, seed and land rights activists, biodiversity experts, policymakers and more.

This historic gathering has been dubbed a “summit of solutions”. That’s exactly what Africa needs right now – real, practical solutions that can make a difference on the ground.

The summit will bring together 300 young leaders from 50 African countries in person, and over 1,000 joining online. That’s a lot of brain power focused on solving Africa’s food and climate challenges.

Young people need support. But they need to organise themselves and create a strong network of young African leaders who can work together to push for progressive policies.

If we want to fix Africa’s food problems, we need to listen to its young people and put them at the forefront of food systems transformation. They’re not just the leaders of tomorrow – they’re the innovators of today. They have the energy, the ideas, and the motivation to create a future where everyone has enough to eat, no matter what the climate throws at us.

Simon Bukenya is the AFSA Youth Platform Secretariat Coordinator. Email: [email protected]