Young leaders from across West Africa are stepping up to reshape agriculture and food systems, championing resilience, inclusion, and climate-smart practices at a high-level regional convening held in Banjul recently.
However, the two-day West Africa Regional Youth Convening, themed “Feeding the Future: Youth-Led Solutions for Resilient and Inclusive Food Systems”, brought together over 60 youth leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators from The Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Senegal and Cameroon.
The event was organised by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Community Action Platform on Environment and Development (CAPED), with support from the Mastercard Foundation under the Youth Empowerment for Food and Farming in Africa (YEFFA) program.
The convening aimed to amplify youth voices, strengthen regional collaboration, and promote youth-led strategies for agricultural transformation in West Africa.
Speaking at the event, Papia Badjie Sanyang, Director of Urban Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, reaffirmed the Gambian government’s commitment to empowering young people in agriculture. She emphasised the importance of targeted investment and technical support, especially for women and youth.
Momodou Inkeh Bah, Executive Director of CAPED, highlighted the critical role of youth representation in shaping the future of agriculture. He also addressed persistent challenges such as limited access to land, finance, and modern farming technologies.
Fatoumata Marong, Assistant Executive Director of CAPED, hailed the event as a defining moment for youth leadership and engagement, noting that such platforms are crucial for elevating young voices and solutions.
She indicated that the outcome of the convening was the development of a Youth Position Paper, which outlines the priorities, aspirations, and policy recommendations of participating youth. This document is expected to influence agricultural policy discussions at national, regional and global levels.
Alhagie S. Cham, Senior Programme Officer at the Association of NGOs (TANGO), stressed the importance of collaboration, stating: “When we support each other, we strengthen our collective ability to bring about meaningful change.”
Mr Cham said the outcomes of the Banjul convening are anticipated to shape future dialogues on food security, youth empowerment, and sustainable development across Africa. “With their voices unified and a clear strategy in hand, West African youth are poised to lead the continent’s transition toward a more resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart agricultural future.”
