Why Agri-Food Systems Policy in the EAC Must Embrace Its Youth to Empower the Next Generation

By Boaz Keizire and Jean Baptiste Havugimana

The agri-food systems value chain remains the backbone of the East African Community (EAC) Partner States’ economies providing livelihoods and driving regional growth. However, to unlock its full potential and achieve sustainable food security, the sector must engage and empower its most dynamic asset: the youth.

Organisations like the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) have long emphasized the importance of robust policy frameworks and strong state capacities for agricultural transformation. This aligns with the EAC’s Vision 2050, which prioritises boosting the agriculture value chain through the active involvement of youth who make up on average over 74% of the population, both male and female, across the region.

A key focus of both AGRA’s work and the EAC’s Vision 2050 is ensuring these policies are inclusive, especially for the growing youth population eager to engage in the agri-food system.

To advance this agenda, the EAC recently convened a critical dialogue on the outcomes of the Regional Joint Agricultural Sector Review (JSR), with a special focus on youth involvement in agri-food systems. The review provided valuable insights into the status of agricultural policy implementation across the region, and the extent to which youth and women are involved.

While acknowledging the presence of relevant policy frameworks, a key finding revealed a significant gap: most Partner States policies on gender and youth are not well aligned with the goals of the Regional Agricultural Investment Plan (RAIP).

This misalignment is a serious concern. RAIP, which aims to advance the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) goals including regional food supply, utilization, and value addition cannot achieve its objectives without fully integrating youth. As Partner States move to implement and domesticate regional policies, alignment with national frameworks will be essential.

Available demographic data supports the urgency. Surveys show that youth (ages 15–35) make up a large portion of the EAC population. For instance, the UN estimates the median age in the region to be about 18, highlighting a predominantly young demographic. However, youth unemployment remains high at between 51% and 57%.

Unlocking the energy, innovation, and digital savvy of this demographic within agri-food value chains could be transformative. These young people are not just farmers, they are agripreneurs, pioneering new business models, technologies, and services. But their efforts often face an unsupportive policy environment. The Youth in Agribusiness report shows many young people are already engaging in diverse areas such as seed production, input supply, processing, mechanization, marketing, urban farming, and circular economy initiatives.

The JSR Policy Review identifies broader issues, including inadequate funding for policy implementation and delays in enacting the necessary regulations to support youth in the food systems value chain. These barriers, such as limited access to land and skills, disproportionately affect youth, particularly those lacking capital or facing complex bureaucratic processes.

Furthermore, the limited policy focus on youth empowerment hinders sector growth and job creation both on and off the farm.

To fully harness the demographic dividend and build a vibrant agricultural future, the EAC must adopt a targeted and impactful policy shift. This means:

• Strengthening implementation of regional agricultural policies and strategies
   by prioritising youth inclusion and explicitly integrating youth perspectives and addressing their unique needs. The EAC Youth Policy should clearly align to agricultural development and the African Union’s Africa Agribusiness Youth Strategy (AAYS).
• Enhancing regional flagship programs for youth in agribusiness.This requires to go beyond general support, offering youth tailored solutions such as access to finance, land, skills training, mentorship, and market linkages.
• Improving data collection and management by building a regional database to track youth engagement in agriculture, identify gaps, and better target support.
• Streamlining regulatory processes and supporting timely policy domestication: Ensure effective youth participation in policy platforms at both regional and national levels. As the JSR review results highlight, delays in enacting regulations create uncertainty and limit youth engagement.
• Continue promoting Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Ensure sustainable financing and management of agro-industrial parks and value chains, with youth-specific provisions to drive business development and job creation.
• Strengthening youth engagement platforms: Amplify youth voices in regional coordination and dialogue. Young agripreneurs must have a seat at the table in shaping the future of agriculture.

The CAADP Strategy and Action Plan and the CAADP Kampala Declaration, adopted by AU Heads of State and Government in Kampala, Uganda, offers a powerful opportunity to act on the above recommendations. If implemented effectively and actions brought closer to communities not left on paper, this declaration can drive real change.

It commits to empowering at least 30% of youth to participate meaningfully in agri-food value chains by 2035, through better access to finance, innovation, technology, and land especially for women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

In conclusion, the JSR Policy Review offers a vital baseline for action. By addressing gaps in youth inclusion and resolving broader implementation challenges, the EAC can create a thriving policy environment that empowers youth to lead agri-food transformation. The energy and innovation are already there, it is now up to policymakers to cultivate the right conditions for youth to flourish and secure the region’s agricultural future.

This op-ed has been authored by Boaz Keizire (Director, Policy & State Capability at AGRA) and Jean Baptiste Havugimana (Director Productive Sectors (DPS), East African Community Secretariat)

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