YOUTH GIVEN A CENTRAL ROLE AT AFSF 2025

This afternoon, youth participating in the Forum held a dialogue with President Kagame and Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. At the outset, the youth expressed their appreciation to President Kagame for his leadership and for the way he gives both young people and women a central role in the country’s development. The discussion also included leaders of different youth organizations contributing to the growth of agriculture across Africa.

President of the Republic Of Rwanda Paul Kagame on the Panel with Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye 

Asked about the reforms Rwanda has implemented to promote environmentally sustainable agriculture, President Kagame highlighted that the first priority was changing mindsets and strengthening collaboration with various stakeholders, particularly the private sector. He pointed to a special fund created to promote green investment in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which helped the country develop technology-driven and environmentally friendly agriculture, starting with an initial investment of 100 million US dollars.

President Kagame reiterated that Africa lacks nothing not even the knowledge required to feed itself. “Finally, there comes a moment to ask ourselves: What are we lacking in Africa? What is it that we do not know? But there must also be a recognition of all that we are capable of and all that we already have, as well as an understanding of what we can do and that, these are many things, as mentioned, including land, workforce, and the knowledge to make use of them”. he said.

He explained that through collaboration with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Rwanda has already achieved significant progress in moving from traditional agriculture to modernized farming. However, he stressed that much remains to be done.

The President urged young people to take the lead and make their own contributions before waiting for support from various institutions. He emphasized that youth must first have clear goals in order to drive the development of their countries as energetic and capable individuals.” I want to tell the youth here that the first thing you should understand is that you are at the forefront of many government initiatives, as is the case in our country, but there should be something the youth can relate to. You, as young people, must realize that you should not just sit back and wait for a problem to arise and then expect someone else to come and solve it for you. You need to be alert, take action when needed, and your efforts will be supported; this way, your ideas can reach further than you initially imagined.” he told the gathering.

President Kagame told the youth to recognize their strengths land, workforce, and knowledge as africans to act and achieve what they are capable of

He also spoke about the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA), established in partnership with the philanthropist Howard Buffett, which brings together young students from different African countries. President Kagame noted that this university provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to the transformation of agriculture.

Daniel Chibwe from Malawi, founder of Imlato Farms and Agro-Learning Hub, emphasized innovation and sustainable practices: “We are a start-up focused on agroecology, with a strong emphasis on permaculture.” He added: ““I am here to learn more about what other young people are doing to transform agriculture through innovation, and I’m also looking forward to collaborating and building partnerships that will help me enhance my skills and create more impact back home in Malawi.”

Njoko a youth from Kenya highlighted the excitement and potential for youth in agriculture: “I’m really excited about the discussions and conversations around food systems, especially the role that youth will play in enabling Africa to feed herself.”

On visibility and recognition of youth projects, Sakina Usengimana another participant from Rwanda noted: “We are extremely grateful for this opportunity, especially seeing so many youth actively involved here…Seeing our project recognized as a flagship initiative for Africa is truly encouraging.” And she added: “We are deeply honored that President Paul Kagame is here to present and to speak, inspiring other African leaders to support their youth. This support is crucial for enabling young people to develop, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to the growing agri-food systems across Africa.”

These perspectives underline the central role youth are playing in shaping Africa’s agricultural future, echoing President Kagame’s call for energetic, innovative, and committed young leaders to drive the continent’s transformation.