How Young Africans See the Food Industry as a Key to Employment

More than 60 per cent of people in sub-Saharan Africa are under 25, creating enormous potential for employment, but also an urgent economic question: where will the jobs and businesses come from to absorb the millions of young Africans entering the labour market?

A Continent Young Enough to Work, but Struggling to Find Work

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with the continent's population continuing to expand rapidly. This creates enormous potential, but also an urgent economic question: where will the jobs and businesses come from to absorb the millions of young Africans entering the labour market? The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that Africa needs to create more than 10 million decent jobs every year by 2035 to keep pace with its growing young workforce.

The Food System: A Compelling Opportunity

For many young Africans, the word "agriculture" can conjure images of subsistence farming, hard physical labour and limited financial returns. But the modern food system is far broader than farming. It stretches from seeds, soil, irrigation and production to logistics, storage, processing, packaging, marketing, finance, technology, retail, restaurants, waste management and export. This wider ecosystem could offer young people multiple entry points into the economy.

From Aspiration to Enterprise

The possibilities are as diverse as the food system itself. A young person with a technology background, for example, could develop a digital platform that helps farmers access markets. Another option is to build a cold-chain business to reduce food losses. A designer could create attractive packaging for locally processed foods. An engineer could develop affordable irrigation or renewable-energy solutions. A business graduate could build a company connecting smallholder farmers to institutional buyers. The question is whether the wider ecosystem will give those ideas the capital, mentorship, skills, markets and networks required to grow.

The Africa Food Systems Forum: A Marketplace of Ideas

The Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from September 1–4. Organised by AGRA, the 20th edition of the Forum will bring together more than 5,000 stakeholders from over 50 countries under the theme "Investing in Africa's Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience." The Forum's Deal Room is explicitly designed to help participants forge partnerships, attract investment and close deals. Its youth-focused programming is also intended to connect young people with resources, mentorship, innovation platforms and networking opportunities.

Turning Aspirations into Business

For a young African entrepreneur, the value of such a gathering may extend well beyond what happens on the main stage. A food-systems summit brings together people who ordinarily operate in different worlds: policymakers, investors, scientists, development organisations, established companies, farmers, technology innovators and young entrepreneurs. For a young person trying to turn an idea into a viable business, that network can be invaluable. A conversation with an investor can lead to financing. A meeting with another entrepreneur can produce a partnership. A discussion with a researcher can improve a product. A connection with a large food company can open a route to market. A conversation with a policymaker can reveal an emerging opportunity or help shape regulations.

A Marketplace of Ideas, Relationships and Possibilities

The Africa Food Systems Forum can be viewed as a marketplace of ideas, relationships and possibilities. The Forum's youth-focused programming is designed to connect young people with resources, mentorship, innovation platforms and networking opportunities. If International Youth Day is a reminder of young people's shared aspirations, then the Africa Food Systems Forum can become one of the places where some of those aspirations begin to take shape — through connections, investment, innovation and enterprise.

Source: JOY