The event aims to amplify youth voices and showcase how agroecology can drive inclusive, rights-based, and climate-resilient food systems. Through dialogue between agroecology experts, policymakers, and youth activists and farmers, our objective is to unpack the power of agroecology in lifting up smallholder farming communities and young people, through showcasing youth-led agroecology initiatives as tangible best practices.
This event marked the launch of the BKMC’s 2025 Youth AgriChampion Demand Paper, titled “Youth-Powered Agroecology: Building Climate Resilience for Smallholder Farmers”. Young smallholder farmers, agripreneurs, and activists across Africa developed agroecologically rooted demands directed at policymakers to position youth-led agroecology at the forefront of climate discussions. This Demand Paper incorporates grassroots voices of young leaders and pushes for an inclusive, rights-based food system.
The event marked the launch of the 2025 Youth AgriChampions Demand Paper titled “Youth-Powered Agroecology: Building Climate Resilience for Smallholder Farmers”. -
The Demand Paper was developed by 18 young smallholder farmers and agripreneurs from Africa, after months of participatory workshops.
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The paper includes three actionable demands, rooted in agroecology, aimed at policy-makers to centre youth-led agroecology in climate and food-system governance. The three demands focus on:
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Water management / irrigation (e.g., expand solar-powered irrigation)
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Soil health frameworks (adopt integrated soil-health management frameworks)
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Agroforestry / regenerative practices (mainstream agroforestry among smallholders)
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The event emphasised that youth are not only beneficiaries but active change-makers in agroecological transitions — their voices need to be heard, embedded in rights-based, participatory food-system transformation.
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The discussion also touched on how agroecology can build climate resilience for smallholders, and how to create more inclusive, just and participatory food systems with youth, farmers and communities at the heart.
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A call to policy-makers: integrate youth-led agroecology into adaptation and climate action, ensure access to finance, platforms, capacity-building, and supportive policy frameworks to scale agroecology via young farmers.
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The event served as a platform for young agripreneurs, farmers, policymakers and experts to converge and highlight best practices, youth-led initiatives, and move the narrative toward youth empowerment in agroecology. (Speakers’ list below.)
In summary: the side-event achieved the goal of launching the youth demand paper, raising the profile of youth-led agroecology in climate and food-system spaces, and generating momentum for youth-centred, agroecologically-rooted policy and practice.
List of speakers
- H.E. Ban Ki‑moon (Former UN Secretary-General, Co-Chair BKMC)
- Smart Israel (BKMC Youth AgriChampion 2025)
- Wendy‑Yam Osman (BKMC Youth AgriChampion 2025)
- Zdravska Dimitrova (Right to Food Specialist, FAO – Right to Food)
- Hon. Rtd Major Kyakulaga Fred Bwino (Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda)
- Harry O’Crowley (Head of International Development, UN & SDGs Unit, Economics and Planning Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland)
- Elizabeth Maanda Sianga (Director of Sianga Farms, Founder of Agro Queens)
- Katre Olmez (COO, BKMC)
- Moderators: Edoardo Corriere (Global Programme Coordinator, YPARD) & Amelie Steu (Associate Coordinator, Agroecology Coalition)
Testimonies
- Enocka Edongo, Kenya
- Wendy Yam Osman, Ghana
Resources
Youth AgriChampions Paper 2025
Presented by the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, the Youth AgriChampions Demand Paper 2025 urges policymakers to place youth-led agroecology at the center of climate discussions.
- It offers three actionable demands on water management, soil health, and agroforestry to build smallholder farmers’ resilience. Established by 18 young smallholder farmers and agri-preneurs,
- It calls for young farmers’ voices to be heard in climate policy. Read the paper to champion an inclusive, rights-based food system.
Transforming agrifood systems through climate resilient agricultural practices: A youth perspective
The mission of the World Food Forum (WFF) Young Scientists Group (YSG) is to provide scientific evidence and technical knowledge to the various initiatives of the WFF, and to develop research on topics of concern to youth related to agrifood systems transformation. Established in 2022, the YSG has completed two cohorts. Its third cohort began activities in May 2025 as part of a two-year tenure (2025–2027).
The composition of the YSG reflects the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’four betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. The diversity of YSG members’ expertise mirrors the diversity of challenges and solutions associated with achieving agrifood systems transformations and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Access Agriculture Young changemakers
Access Agriculture released its book “Young changemakers,” which offers a rich diversity of perspectives and insights from real-life experiences of 42 inspiring teams of youths in Africa and India who are blazing a trail as private extension and advisory service providers promoting agroecology through farmer-to-farmer learning videos.
Foreword
Foreword by Pierre Ferrand, Agriculture Officer (Agroecology & Ecosystem Services), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Introduction
Unleashing the power of rural youth to transform food systems
Benin
Cédric Agbessi – Championing value addition and innovation
Clémence Assongba – Meeting the need for healthy school meals
Mori Gouroubera – Capitalizing on the growing demand for chemical-free food
Cameroon
Ache William Anubofeh – The smart projector: A bank of business ideas
Egypt
Ahmed Hamdi – From software engineer to successful azolla entrepreneur
Aya Gamal – The art of farming
Elham Ahmed – Videos inspire community leaders to emerge in rural Egypt
Hesham Ismail – A revolving fund for worms
Mariana Zarif – Combining training with a farm input shop
Kenya
Elphas Masanga – Scaling the Slow Food movement in Kenya and beyond
Maureen Maina – Nurturing youth, good microbes and seed
Sylvia Wangui – Videos to promote healthy, local food
Malawi
Brian Anafi – Offering the best combo: a video hall with food shop
Grace Harrison – Becoming a role model for young women
Happy Mbewe – Nursing babies, trees and bees
Osman Majid – A DJ with a cause
Pemphero Kumbani – No more fish for sex
Precious Hassan – Engaging youth into food and agriculture through videos
Sam Benedicto – Bringing the love of teaching to farming
Sydney Jassi – A teacher of children and farmers
Mali
Alpha Mahamoud Traoré – When one door closes, another opens
Mamadou Diarra – Insights from a livestock farming consultant & trainer
Rokiatou Traoré – Building an inclusive market for moringa
Morocco
Jihad El Malih – A major career shift, from IT to agroecology
Rwanda
Jackson Karara – Videos for landless women and youth in Rwanda
Senegal
Mamadou Sow – The ups and downs of a new business venture
Marie Angélique Faye and Famara Badji – It takes time to establish an advisory business
Tanzania
James Nyaonge – Trust that pays: When a teacher becomes an entrepreneur
Lilian Sambu – The smart projector – a key that opens doors
Stephano Msuya – Supporting Slow Food, women pastoralists and disabled children
Tunisia
Faouzia Semeti – A young woman’s drive to revive oases in Tunisia
Uganda
Canary Ahabwe – Screening videos: A mushrooming business
Martha Kyokuhaire – A young woman broadens her entrepreneurial skillset
Rebecca Akullo – Giving hope to child mothers
Simon Adriko Negro – Regreening refugee settlements
Umar Bashir Ochen – When passion meets purpose, amazing things happen
Zambia
Edward Sibeene – When young researchers team up
Susanna Phiri – Empathy and motivation go a long way
Zaali Nakalonga – Helping farmers one video at a time
India
Abhishekam Vathala – Boosting a bio-input resource centre
Janaki Bobbili – Reaping health and wealth benefits from nutri-gardens
Matsyaraju Vanthala – Empowering rural communities in mushroom entrepreneurship
Conclusion
The changemakers
A free e-version of the book can be downloaded here.
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