“From farm to fork, youth have a critical role to play in shaping sustainable food systems.”
When we talk about Africa’s food systems, the conversation often focuses on farmers, markets, food prices and food security. Yet one of the most important groups in this conversation—the youth—is not always given the attention it deserves.
Youth participation in food systems goes far beyond working on farms. It stretches from production and processing to transportation, marketing, technology, research, policy, retail and consumption. According to the Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026, 47% of young people are employed in agriculture, while the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 44% of working youth in the Arab region are engaged across broader agrifood systems.
These figures tell us something important: young people are not simply the future of agriculture. They are already a major part of today’s food economy.
The real question is whether we are creating the opportunities, skills and systems that allow them to shape it.
From food production to food systems:
A food systems approach asks us to look beyond the farm. It considers how food is produced, processed, transported, marketed, sold and ultimately consumed—and how each stage affects people, economies and the environment.
At every point in this chain, there are opportunities for young people to make a difference.
Consider food loss and waste. Globally, about one-third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. In Africa, FAO estimates that roughly 37% to 40% of food production is lost annually. Behind these statistics are farmers losing income, families struggling with food prices, businesses losing revenue and resources such as water, land and energy being wasted.
This presents a practical question for young people: What can we do differently in our farms, businesses, communities and homes to reduce food loss and waste?
The answers can be found in innovation—from better storage and packaging to digital marketplaces that connect farmers directly to consumers, improved transportation systems and technologies that help predict demand and reduce post-harvest losses.
Young people bring qualities that are essential to transforming food systems: creativity, adaptability, digital skills and a willingness to experiment with new ideas.
Instead of seeing agriculture as traditional, low-income work, we should begin to see it as a modern and diverse economic sector with opportunities in technology, science, manufacturing, logistics, finance and entrepreneurship.
The opportunities are enormous.
Young innovators can develop AgTech solutions that help farmers access information, markets and financial services. Others can champion climate-smart and regenerative agriculture, agroecology and urban farming. Young entrepreneurs can invest in food processing, packaging, cold-chain systems, e-commerce and logistics. Researchers can develop new farming techniques and technologies, while young advocates can influence policies around food security, climate action and sustainable development.
This shift is particularly important at a time when youth unemployment and underemployment remain major challenges across Africa.
The answer is not simply to encourage every young person to become a farmer. It is to create a food economy in which young people can build careers and businesses across the entire value chain—from the seed to the supermarket, and from the farm to the consumer.
The potential is clear, but so are the challenges.
Climate change is disrupting agricultural production. Soil degradation is reducing productivity. Water and other natural resources are under pressure. Biodiversity is declining. Conflicts and fragile supply chains disrupt access to food and markets, while rapid population growth is increasing demand.
These challenges require more than individual effort.
Governments must create supportive policies and invest in infrastructure. Educational institutions should integrate modern food systems, climate innovation, entrepreneurship and agricultural technology into their curricula. Financial institutions should develop affordable financing tailored to young entrepreneurs, who often struggle to access conventional credit. The private sector can provide markets, technology and investment, while researchers can develop solutions suited to local realities.
The media, too, has a role to play by changing the narrative around agriculture and food systems. Young people should not only be portrayed as unemployed job seekers. They should also be recognised as innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, farmers, policymakers and investors capable of building solutions.
Regional cooperation is equally important. Africa and the Arab world share many food-system challenges, but they also have opportunities to learn from one another, exchange technology, develop markets and build youth-led partnerships.
From consumers to change-makers:
Perhaps the most important shift is to stop viewing young people merely as beneficiaries of food-security programmes.
Young people must be recognised as partners and decision-makers.
They should have a meaningful voice in the policies and investments that shape the food systems they will inherit. Their lived experiences, ideas and innovations should inform national and regional strategies.
A sustainable food system is not only about producing enough food. It is about producing food in ways that protect the environment, create decent livelihoods, reduce waste, promote healthy diets and ensure that future generations can also meet their needs.
The youth are uniquely positioned to drive this transformation.
With access to skills, finance, technology, markets and supportive policies, young people can turn food systems from a challenge into one of the continent’s greatest engines of employment, enterprise and sustainable development.
The future of food security will not be secured by young people alone—but it cannot be secured without them.
The task before us is therefore not simply to prepare youth for the future of food. It is to give them the opportunity to build that future today.
The author is the Manager, Research and Development, at the Afro-Arab Youth Council.
The post SUSAN KIJJAGULWE: Nurturing Youth for Sustainable Food Systems appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.