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Africa stands at a critical juncture in its history, with a rapidly growing youth population that presents both challenges and opportunities. As the continent grapples with pressing issues such as food security and economic development, it is crucial to harness the potential of this demographic dividend to achieve inclusive growth. By empowering Africa’s youth and creating an enabling environment, we can transform the continent’s food systems and unlock its economic potential.
A few years ago, trade negotiators pacing the corridors of the World Trade Organization (WTO) would not have expected a war in Europe, a global pandemic, and a global food crisis to dominate discussions at a WTO Ministerial Conference. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has reported that world hunger increased in 2020 under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Zooming into the Black Sea, the closure of Ukrainian ports amidst the Russian invasion does not bode well for net food-importing countries across the globe.
In 2022, the Youth Action Assembly decided to draft a regional youth action policy compendium that would account for regional specificities, better ensure inclusivity in policy asks and set the foundations for our future activities. To identify regional priorities ahead of the Youth Action Assembly that was held in October 2022. The team conducted a qualitative analysis of existing youth manifestos and outcomes (March-May).
The High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Process was held virtually on 20-21 January 2022, co-hosted by Qatar, Finland, and Colombia, and co-organized with civil society and UN partners. It began with a Youth Pre-Event on 19 January 2022, leading up to the Global Conference on 20-21 January 2022. The high-level conference aimed to secure national commitments to advance the country-level operationalization of the Youth Peace Security agenda and strengthen political will and commitment to including youth in peace processes. Interactive and action-oriented discussions convened across five themes building on the Youth Peace Security agenda between Heads of State and other High-Level Government representatives, young peacebuilders, and representatives of intergovernmental organizations, CSOs, academia, and donors.
The Youth Café looks forward to commemorate The International Youth Day especially because this years theme “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health” coincides with one of our key thematic areas outlined in our Theory of Change, ‘Environmental Preservation and Climate Change’, where the focus is on increasing climate change literacy programs, advocacy for the creation of more green jobs, and creation of a collaborative platform where young people can actively engage and participate in finding solutions to the environmental challenges such as increased investment in the blue economy.
The Youth Day of Service press conference that was held on the 22nd July 2021, aimed at providing deeper insight into the inspiration and strategic planning of the annual week long event held from 12th August to 18th August, to coincide with the International Youth Day. Representatives from The Youth Café attended the virtual press conference to show support as implementing partners for this years YDoS event.
Through multi-stakeholder engagements and in-depth country case studies, a draft Investment Guidelines for Youth in Agri-Food Systems in Africa has been produced by FAO in partnership with the AUC. The goal of this handbook is to serve as a resource for governmental and private sector partners, including financial institutions, civil society actors, youth-led organizations, and enterprises across the region, who want to encourage more investment in job creation and agricultural growth in rural areas of Africa. On this note, FAO and the AUC are co-organizing a virtual technical validation workshop aimed at providing a platform for participants to share views and provide final recommendations towards the finalization of the Investment Guidelines for Youth in Agri-food Systems in Africa.
In African woman with hoe in hand is the default symbol of agriculture in Africa, according to the late Calestous Juma, African academic and former Harvard Kennedy School professor. Mr. Juma used that image to convey the drudgery-filled farming that women on the continent face. Women grow 70% of Africa’s food on smallholder farms, a task anchored by physical labour.
