The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched 13 new National Youth Chapters of the World Food Forum (WFF) in Africa, expanding its network of young leaders working to transform the continent’s agrifood systems.
The new chapters cover Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Gabon, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal and Togo, bringing the total number of WFF National Youth Chapters in Africa to 33, the FAO said on October 13.
The launch took place during the World Food Forum’s Global Youth Forum in Rome, where FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa Abebe Haile-Gabriel stressed the need for sustained investment in youth leadership.
“The real measure of success will be our ability to sustain this momentum, scale investment, and ensure that young people are not just beneficiaries of change, but architects of Africa’s agrifood systems transformation,” Haile-Gabriel said.
The National Youth Chapters provide platforms for young people to exchange knowledge, build partnerships and contribute to the transformation of agrifood systems at national and regional levels.
With more than 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25, expanding young people’s participation in decision-making, innovation and entrepreneurship is critical to the continent’s development, according to the FAO.
The organization is working to strengthen youth engagement through capacity-building initiatives, partnerships and opportunities for young agricultural entrepreneurs to participate in policy discussions.
Haile-Gabriel also highlighted the importance of investing in young people’s skills, improving their access to finance and technology, and ensuring they have a meaningful role in shaping policies and investment decisions.
The launch comes as young agribusiness entrepreneurs and advocates from across Africa participate in the World Food Forum in Rome. Youth leadership is also expected to feature at the Africa Science and Innovation Forum, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from October 27 to 29.
The new chapters join existing WFF youth networks in Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The initiative aims to expand youth-led action and support innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation across Africa’s agrifood sector, as the continent seeks to build more inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems.
