Rwanda Launches First YouthFAST Forum as Young Innovators Push to Transform Agrifood Systems

Held from 24–25 November 2025 and convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) in close collaboration with development partners, the Forum marks what officials described as “a turning point in positioning youth at the center of agriculture modernization.”

This inaugural edition was made possible through major financial support from AGRA, the main funder of the YouthFAST Forum, working closely with national institutions to champion youth-led agricultural transformation.

Introducing the initiative officially, Dr. Chantal Ingabire, Director General for Planning in The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources, said the Youth FAST Forum was founded on a simple but urgent premise: co-creating the transformation of Rwanda’s agrifood systems together with young people.

She said: “YouthFAST is a national platform that brings together youth, private sector, public institutions and development partners to pool knowledge, expertise and resources for a youth-led transformation of agrifood systems,”

She also added: “It is an annual forum, and this first edition is a significant milestone for our country.”

She noted that Rwanda’s demographic profile makes youth central to agricultural modernization 32% of all farmers are youth, two-thirds of farmers are under 46 and youth unemployment stands at 20%, higher than the national average of 17.3%

Under NST2 and PSTA5, Dr. Chantal said, youth must be placed “at the heart of adopting digitalization, mechanization and climate-smart innovations that will drive the future of our sector.”

Delivering his keynote remarks, Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, Minister of State in The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources, praised youth for redefining Rwanda’s agricultural landscape through innovation, resilience and enterprise.

He said: “It is my great honour to welcome you to the 2025 YouthFAST Forum,” he said. “Today we gather to unlock the talent, innovation and energy of Rwanda’s young people as the driving force of our agrifood systems transformation.”

He highlighted recent labor force findings that 30.8% of all youth are employed in the agriculture sector, 56% of employed youth in agriculture are now in commercial, not subsistence, activities, yet nearly 60% of youth remain underutilized

He said: “These numbers show both the immense potential and the urgency, Youth are not just beneficiaries. They are architects of Rwanda’s agrifood future.”

This year’s theme, “Catalyzing Investments for Transformational Impact under PSTA 5,” challenges partners to align financing, skills development, and market systems to national priorities.

AGRA’s support is central to these ambitions, with the organization continuing to back innovations, youth skilling, and enterprise growth as part of its broader commitment to strengthening Africa’s agrifood systems.

During the youth dialogue sessions, young agripreneurs expressed optimism but emphasized the need for sustained support, affordable financing, and access to market-oriented training.

Shakira Uwineza, agro-processing entrepreneur from Kamonyi, said the Forum validates the aspirations of many young innovators who have long felt overlooked.

She said “What I like about YouthFAST is that we are not here to be lectured, we are here to contribute to solutions. We want to build companies that solve problems in post-harvest losses, value addition and digital extension. Give us finance and mentorship, and we will deliver.”

Evariste Sibobugingo, youth from Nyanza District, said YouthFAST shows a shift in how the country views young people in the agrifood value chain.

He said: “It is motivating to see government putting youth at the center digital platform helps smallholder farmers access weather-based advice, but scaling requires partnerships. Forums like this give us the door we have been knocking on for years.”

Among the young innovators attending the YouthFAST Forum, Elie Nsengukuri, the founder of Amaboko y’u Rwanda Ltd in Musanze District, stands out as a powerful example of how youth-led enterprises are reshaping Rwanda’s agrifood sector.

Elie shared his perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing youth agripreneurs, as well as what this national platform means for the future of value addition in Rwanda.

He said: “What we expect as youth is a more accessible financing system. In Musanze, we see countless opportunities for value addition, but high interest rates and collateral requirements keep many young entrepreneurs behind. Affordable loans would allow companies like ours to scale.”

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Telesphore reaffirmed MINAGRI’s commitment to youth-centered transformation He said: “As MINAGRI, we commit to unlocking finance, expanding skills, strengthening markets, and scaling youth-led flagship programs. But above all, we commit to listening to you because your ideas will shape the future of this sector.”

Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, Minister of State, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Ressources 

As the first-ever YouthFAST Forum draws to a close, one message stands out clearly: Rwanda’s agrifood transformation cannot succeed without the full participation, creativity, and leadership of its young people. With AGRA as the main funder, this platform sets a new foundation for sustained youth engagement and investment in the years ahead. From digital innovators to agro-processors and climate-smart solution designers, youth demonstrated not only their readiness but their determination to shape the sector’s future.

Dr. Chantal Ingabire, Director General for Planning in The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources

Shakira Uwineza, agro-processing entrepreneur from Kamonyi

Evariste Sibobugingo, youth from Nyanza District, said YouthFAST shows a shift in how the country views young people in the agrifood value chain

Elie Nsengukuri, the founder of Amaboko y’u Rwanda Ltd in Musanze District, stands out as a powerful example of how youth-led enterprises are reshaping Rwanda’s agrifood sector