Lack of finance threatens Africa’s youth agroecology ambitions

Africa’s large youth population could drive the growth of sustainable agriculture businesses, but limited access to finance is emerging as a major obstacle to their participation in the sector.

Agriculture organisations and young entrepreneurs are now calling for greater investment in youth-led agroecology enterprises, arguing that the sector can create jobs, strengthen food systems and build resilience to climate change.

The call was made in Kampala, Uganda, where young people from more than 14 African countries converged for the Africa Regional Youth Summit on Agroecology Business and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala commitments.

The summit, organised by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) under the theme ‘Investing in Youth for Agroecology Enterprises and Inclusive Policy Change’, brought together young entrepreneurs and stakeholders to exchange knowledge, explore business opportunities and discuss policies affecting youth participation in agriculture.

PELUM Head of Programmes Medius Bihunirwa said financing remained one of the biggest barriers preventing young people from entering and expanding agroecology businesses.

“Access to finance by youths remains one of the greatest barriers to their active participation in Agroecology,” Bihunirwa said, calling for increased investment and financial support to enable young entrepreneurs to establish and expand their businesses.

She said Africa’s youthful population offered a major opportunity to transform agriculture, particularly as the continent grapples with high youth unemployment and limited economic opportunities.

“Over 60 per cent of Africa’s population is youth, but at the same time, as a continent, we are struggling with high unemployment rates among young people, yet we have the potential of agriculture,” she said.

Bihunirwa said agroecology could provide young people with an entry point into business while promoting healthier food systems and environmental conservation.

“This summit also looks at how we can harness the potential of our agriculture as Africa, especially the young generation taking the driving seat to start their Agroecology businesses and contribute to meaningful policies that can be useful for them,” she said.

Agroecology promotes farming practices that work with natural ecosystems by conserving soil and water, protecting biodiversity and reducing dependence on harmful agricultural chemicals.

Bihunirwa said such practices could also help farmers respond to climate change, produce safe and nutritious food and reduce production costs through the use of locally available resources.

The summit was held under the Youth in Agroecology Business Learning Track Africa (YALTA), a continental initiative supporting young people through mentorship, enterprise development and participation in policy processes.

“At YALTA, we do mentorship and enhance youth involvement in policy formulation processes,” Bihunirwa said.

The meeting also provided young entrepreneurs with an opportunity to showcase agroecological products and share experiences on building businesses around sustainable farming.

Irene Gitau, a Kenyan youth participant, said the summit had provided an opportunity to network and learn from peers across the continent.

“We have met here youths from over 14 countries in Africa. We have visited some of the Agroecology farms in Uganda and we have seen what should be done in the Agroecology space,” she said.

Gitau noted that participants would take the knowledge gained back to their communities to improve farming practices and strengthen youth-led enterprises.

Sharon Bundi, another Kenyan participant, said the summit had demonstrated that young people could play a central role in advancing sustainable agriculture and shaping policies affecting the agri-food sector.

PELUM is a network of about 300 civil society organisations operating in 14 African countries and reaching more than 12 million small-scale farmers.

With youth unemployment remaining a major challenge, participants said increased financing for agroecology enterprises could help turn agriculture into a stronger source of employment and sustainable livelihoods for Africa’s young population.