Young people from 47 African countries have endorsed agroecology as a sustainable food system during a landmark summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, saying the worsening climate crisis calls for a return to nature-based solutions.
The First Thousand African Youth Summit on Food Systems and Agroecology, dubbed the “Summit of Solutions”, brought together over 300 youth in person and more than 1,000 virtual participants.
“Together, we have deepened our understanding of agroecology’s transformative power in building food sovereignty across our continent,” the youth declared after the three-day convention.
The delegates emphasised that the current food system was failing “both our generation and our continent”.
They said agroecology offers a sustainable agricultural practice and resists an economic system that prioritises profit over people.
Agroecology is the application of ecological principles to agricultural systems and practices. It builds on traditional agricultural practices using research, technology and indigenous knowledge, while ensuring that farmers are in control of all aspects of food production.
The meeting was convened because young people “face the brunt of climate impacts, from job insecurity in climate-sensitive sectors to heightened food insecurity and health risks”, said Simon Bukenya, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) Secretariat coordinator.
Ahead of the summit, he explained that with food production anticipated to decrease due to climate stresses, and food imports expected to more than triple by 2025, sustainable solutions are urgently needed.
“By embracing agroecology, we can build a healthy, just and culturally appropriate food system that respects our heritage and preserves our values,” the youth declaration stated.
As representatives of Africa’s dynamic young generation, comprising 60 percent of the continent’s population, they recognised urgent need to address challenges threatening their food systems and sovereignty.
More than 50 percent of Africa’s population is young, emphasised Dr Million Belay, the general coordinator of AFSA, which convened the summit, noting the need for a new generation of activists to help resolve the food crisis.
Dr Belay stressed the importance of young people in challenging “the deeply ingrained narratives that Africa couldn’t feed its people without the application of huge chemical fertilisers and other harmful bio-inputs”.
Intergenerational knowledge transfer is also important, stressed Karen Nekesa, of the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI).
“The youth need to integrate the elders’ voices into youth-led advocacy to help them gain credibility among policymakers and community members as this reflects continuity and respect for our culture,” she said.
Renowned environmentalist Nimmo Bassey called for the decolonisation of Africa’s food system, saying it was becoming an instrument of control and power.
“We can’t leave it to corporates and foreigners. That is why AFSA’s ‘My Food is African’ is a very important campaign. Food is not a commodity; it is life,” said Dr Bassey.
He said it was time to advocate for policies that recognise the centrality of agroecology in “restoring our earth and encouraging intergenerational transfer of knowledge.”
The declaration outlined several key commitments, including showcasing agroecological opportunities in adapting to the climate crisis.
The youth committed to “stay loyal and remain rooted in African indigenous food traditions, cultural value systems, and traditional ecological knowledge, seeking the wisdom and guidance of our African elders”.
They demanded greater investment in agroecology, supporting small-scale farmers and fostering youth-driven entrepreneurship. The declaration called for the inclusion of agroecology as a core strategy in the CAADP Kampala Declaration to safeguard African biodiversity, improve nutrition and health, enhance soil health, and strengthen local food systems.
The summit recognised that food is becoming an instrument of control and power, asserting that it can’t be left to corporates and foreigners. The gathering explored the role of technology in advancing agroecology while ensuring humanity and the environment remain at the centre of agricultural innovation.
AFSA represents 200 million farmers as the third-largest civil society organisation in Africa and provided a powerful platform for these discussions.
It’s a network of networks with members active in 50 African countries. In 2023, AFSA convened the first meeting of African youth to discuss the many challenges affecting them in food systems, including the climate crisis.
The youth demands included championing a shift to agroecology across Africa’s food systems, ensuring sustainable resource management, local value addition, and equitable access to healthy, culturally appropriate food.
They called for facilitating digital inclusion for youth in agroecology, providing access to technologies and training for sustainable development.
The declaration emphasised safeguarding land rights for young people, especially women, and indigenous and marginalised groups, ensuring fair access to resources for entrepreneurial growth.
It called for strengthening political dialogue with youth to promote agroecology and sustainable food systems, while supporting youth-led innovations to boost local markets and drive sustainable economic growth.
The summit also advocated for farmer-managed seed systems “to defend the rights of smallholder farmers to their seeds, and conserve seed diversity, which is the bedrock of our food systems, culture, and resilience”.
The youth committed to ensuring gender-conscious mainstreaming through agroecology, empowering women and youth in all aspects of sustainable food systems.
“The time to act is now,” the declaration concluded. “Together, we call on our people, governments, businesses, and global leaders to join us in this fight for the future of Africa’s food systems, driven by agroecology and powered by the passion and vision of its youth.”
The summit established a clear vision for Africa’s agricultural future, one that balances traditional wisdom with modern innovation. It came out strongly that agroecology is “more than a method of farming, but a way of life. It’s sustainable, resilient and just. It respects biodiversity and respects the wisdom of our youth.”
The gathering successfully created momentum for transforming African agriculture, emphasising that youth are not merely inheritors of indigenous knowledge but “the future elders responsible for passing the same knowledge to the next generation”.
The summit concluded with a powerful call for youth to be proactive and engage elders in advocating for indigenous knowledge as a lifestyle and movement rooted in cultural and ecological wisdom for a sustainable food system.
