YOUTH AHEAD: Policy Innovations to Create Opportunities for Young People in Africa’s Agrifood Systems

14 February 2024. Themed "YOUTH AHEAD: Policy Innovations to Create Opportunities for Young People in Africa’s Agrifood Systems", the Panel’s latest report was launched at the 13th Malabo Montpellier Forum. 

• Concept Note
• Agenda
• See extracts of this report in following PAEPARD blog post
  
  
  

The report focuses on successful institutional and policy innovations and programmatic interventions in African countries to empower Africa's youth in transforming agrifood systems. Many youths in Africa face high unemployment and lack the necessary knowledge and skills to tap into these opportunities, largely due to a lack of access to land and finance. The panel aims to provide practical actions to enable environments that support young people in creating or taking on employment opportunities in the agrifood system, highlighting areas of progress and potential entry points for youths.

The Forum was conducted in three parts: 

1. a technical part drawing on the findings and recommendations from the Panel’s report and Youth Issue Paper, 
2. Reflections on the outcomes and lessons from the report and issue paper, 
3. and a high-level policy roundtable, composed of senior representatives from African governments, development partner agencies, youth organizations, and the private sector.

Speakers: 

• Dr. Ousmane Badiane Executive Chairperson, AKADEMIYA2063; Co-Chair, Malabo Montpellier Panel 

“Africa’s agrifood sector offers extraordinary potential for attractive, profitable, and sustainable jobs for our rising youth population, that will in turn help address the continent’s food security challenges. Innovative strategies to attract and support Africa’s youth to succeed with the right skills, technology, and policy environment would boost the pace of employment creation to meet the growing labor demands in the decades ahead. Our report recommends policies to help create these opportunities, including targeted education, training, enterprise creation and growth support, and technology infrastructure.”

• H.E. Amb. Josefa Sacko Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union Commission (AUC-DARBE) 
• Hon. Hellen Adoa Minister of State for Fisheries, Uganda

Launch of the Malabo Montpellier Panel’s Report and Youth Issue paper 

• H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime Former Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission (AUC), Chairperson HOPE; Malabo Montpellier Panel Member

Reflections on the outcomes of the report by the Forum Co-Chairs 

• H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia 
• H.E. Dr. Assia Ben Salah Alaoui, Ambassador at Large to His Majesty Mohamed VI, the King of Morocco 

Moderator: Prof. Sheryl Hendriks, Director, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich; Malabo Montpellier Panel Member

A. Research and science 

• Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, Professor and former Principal of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University 
• Prof. Rosemary Isoto, Head of the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics (DANRE) at Makerere University 

B. Skilling

• Prof. Charles Kwesiga, Executive Director, Uganda Industrial Research Institute 

C. Agribusiness opportunities and skills 

• Dr. Emma Naluyima, Founder and CEO, One Acre Unlimited Farm 
• Dr. Ashok Gulati, Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER); Malabo Montpellier Panel Member 

D. Digitalization/technology

• 
  Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello, Dean, School of Engineering, Makerere University; Malabo Montpellier Panel Member 

“Attracting youth to the agrifood sector and enabling them to play an active role in shaping African food systems must go hand-in-hand with leveraging the potential of new technologies for the industry, Harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa’s youth alongside developments such as AI and emerging technologies while investing in transferable skills training in areas such as computer programming and embedded systems, data science, and business studies, will maximize the potential of young people to advance Africa’s agrifood and economic transformation”

E. Youth in Leadership/polic

• Ms. Nono Dimakatso Sekhoto, Sector Lead - AL for Agribusiness Network African Leadership Academy

Moderated roundtable with Senior Country Representatives 

• Chair: Ms. Nachilala Nkombo, Former Country Director, World Wide Fund for Nature, Zambia; Malabo Montpellier Panel Member 
• Mr. Innocent Togla, Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Benin
• Hon. Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture Ghana
• Mrs. Priscilla W. Muiruri, Technical Advisor to the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Kenya 
• Hon. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Nigeria 
• Hon. Angela Thokozile Didiza, Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development South Africa 
• Hon. Hussein Mohamed Bashe, Minister of Agriculture Tanzania
• Hon. Hellen Adoa, Minister of State for Fisheries, Uganda » Hon. Nyirabashitsi Sarah Mateke, Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Uganda » Hon. Dr. Monica M. Musenero, Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat at the Office of the President Uganda
• Hon. Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Minister of Agriculture Zambia
• Hon. Vangelis Peter Haritatos, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Zimbabwe

Invited reactions 

• Dr. Fregene Martin, Director of Agriculture and Agro-Industry, African Development Bank (AfDB) 
• Mr. Hoppe Martin, Head of Division Food and Nutrition Security, Global Food Policy, Fisheries, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) 
• Ms. Jeannette Wijnants, Country Director, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Uganda 
• Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President - Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA); Malabo Montpellier Panel Member 
• Dr. Debisi Araba, Visiting Researcher, Imperial College London; Malabo Montpellier Panel Member

Vote of thanks 

• Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello, Dean, School of Engineering at Makerere University; Malabo Montpellier Panel Member 
• H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia; Co-Chair, Malabo Montpellier Forum 
• H.E. Dr. Assia Ben Salah Alaoui, Ambassador at Large to His Majesty Mohamed VI, the King of Morocco; Co-Chair, Malabo Montpellier Forum

Concluding Remarks and Way Forward 

• Prof. Joachim von Braun, Distinguished Professor, Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn; Co-Chair, Malabo Montpellier Panel

“The active involvement of young people in Africa’s agrifood systems is essential for the continent’s economic development and peace. Reaping the full benefits of the enterprising spirit of Africa’s youth will require access to finance, skills and land, and respect for youth voice in political decision-making processes”.

 

Resource:

Montpellier Panel (2024)  YOUTH AHEAD: Policy Innovations to Create Opportunities for Young People in Africa’s Agrifood Systems #158 p.

Montpellier Panel (2024) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - YOUTH AHEAD: Policy Innovations to Create Opportunities for Young People in Africa’s Agrifood Systems #3 p.

See extracts of this report in following PAEPARD blog post