According to FAO, more than 400 million Africans aged between 15 and 35 constitute over 75 percent of the continent’s population, a figure projected to double by 2050
Nairobi. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has called on African nations to accelerate technological transformation in agriculture and integrate indigenous knowledge systems as part of efforts to attract more young people to the sector.
Speaking at the closing session of the Post-COP African Youth Workshop on customary tenure rights and agroecology, FAO team lead for land governance and social inclusion, Husna Mbarak, said agricultural mechanisation could shift the long-standing perception of farming from a “dirty job for the old” to an appealing and profitable career for Africa’s youth.
“New technology will empower young people to do more than they ever expect, because it changes the notion that agriculture is outdated or unattractive,” she noted.
According to FAO, more than 400 million Africans aged between 15 and 35 constitute over 75 percent of the continent’s population, a figure projected to double by 2050.
The agency stressed that engaging this demographic in productive and sustainable agriculture was crucial to achieving food security and economic resilience.
However, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) reports that climate change has already reduced crop yields by about 34 percent, leaving millions of smallholder farmers struggling to adapt.
Despite the majority of young Africans residing in rural areas, many lack access to secure land tenure, affordable credit, or modern agricultural technologies — constraints that continue to drive rural–urban migration.
Participants at the workshop observed that youth are well-positioned to champion agroecology — a holistic approach to farming that safeguards biodiversity, promotes soil health, and minimises environmental degradation.
Founder of the Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YILAA), Innocent Antoine Houedji, said the future of African agriculture depends on combining technological innovation with a renewed respect for traditional ecological wisdom.
“Technology without environmental consciousness is short-sighted,” he remarked, adding that agroecology offers a pathway that harmonises productivity with sustainability.
Delegates also raised concerns over the persistent marginalisation of indigenous knowledge systems in climate and biodiversity governance frameworks.
They cautioned against investment models that prioritise industrial agriculture at the expense of ecosystems and local communities — a practice they said contradicts the spirit of the African Climate Summit 2025 Declaration on Agroecology.
Executive Director of RECONCILE, Ken Otieno, urged policymakers to ensure that young people are meaningfully involved in decision-making on land governance and climate adaptation.
Studies show that fewer than 10 percent of rural youth in Africa own land, largely due to restrictive customary tenure systems and weak enforcement of land rights legislation.
Laureen Ongesa, co-chair of the Youth and Land Multi-Stakeholder Platform in Africa (YLMPA), called on governments to implement youth-sensitive land policies that support agroecology, pastoralism, and sustainable land use planning.
She said empowering young people with access to land, finance, and knowledge is key to transforming agriculture into a driver of inclusive growth.
