Strengthening the Youth Voice on Climate Issues in Africa's Agri-food Systems

The adage that the youth are the leaders of the future seems to have been unanimously revised to purport that the youth are the leaders of today. Discussions on youth leadership and contributions in the agrifood systems have raised the question: Are the youth well equipped for leadership in the agrifood systems? The link between the current situation of the youth and their very potential is the development of the capacity-both intrinsically and extrinsically To thrive and sustainable food systems. This entails addressing the general barriers that confront the youth in terms of their involvement in decision-making processes and policy development.

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On July 23rd 2024, AGRA in collaboration with the MasterCard Foundation and FARA convened a workshop with diverse youth and Ghana's agrifood space policymakers and project implementers. The purpose of this workshop was to share knowledge on policy actions necessary for youth and permanent in Ghana’s agriculture. YPARD was represented by the Africa Regional Coordinator, Kofi Kisiedu Acquaye who facilitated the discussions.

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The discussions revealed that climate change aggravates the challenges that the youth are faced with in the Agri-food systems. These challenges are evident in various forms: limited political representation, lack of resources and various social challenges. Matthew Abbam of Agrifrontiers, who presented some findings on youth, highlighted that the creation of an enabling environment is important as youth are enthusiastic and eager to contribute to revitalizing the Agri-food systems.

Richard Kombat presenting on behalf of FARA pointed out that to create opportunities in climate-resilient agriculture and guarantee sustainable income for youth, it is imperative to invest in strong agro-industrial and processing services. The Africa regional coordinator of YPARD, Kofi Acquaye shared other initiatives as an important catalysts to amplify the youth's voice and create an enabling environment for them to succeed in sustainable food systems.

The outcome of this event includes a common understanding and position of Ghanaian youth on climate issues. This is envisioned to increase investment in supporting vulnerable youth in climate change in the agri-food systems.