Africa is the youngest continent in the world. That demographic reality will shape its economic and food security future for decades to come.
According to the 2025 report, The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1.3 billion people globally are between the ages of 15 and 24. Nearly 85 percent live in low and lower-middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa alone is projected to see its youth population increase by 65 percent by 2050, reaching approximately 400 million.
For Rwanda and many African nations, agriculture remains the backbone of the economy. In Rwanda, the sector contributes about one quarter of the national GDP and employs more than 60 percent of the workforce. Youth engagement in agrifood systems is therefore not a policy preference. It is a structural necessity.
44 percent of working youth globally are employed in agrifood systems.
In less industrialized and fragile contexts, youth participation in agriculture is even higher. Yet young people are often concentrated in low-income, informal, and vulnerable forms of employment.
Climate and Food Security Pressures
The FAO report estimates that 395 million rural youth worldwide live in areas projected to experience declining agricultural productivity due to climate change. Sub-Saharan Africa carries a significant share of this exposure.
Rwanda’s agricultural landscape already faces pressures from land fragmentation, soil degradation, and rainfall variability. For young farmers and agripreneurs, climate resilience directly affects income stability and long-term viability.
Nearly one in four youth globally experiences food insecurity. In Africa, the rate exceeds 40 percent.
Rising youth food insecurity threatens productivity, education outcomes, and economic growth. Agrifood transformation must therefore address both employment creation and access to nutritious diets.
Barriers to Opportunity
Despite improvements in education over recent decades, rural youth continue to face structural constraints.
Rural youth are less likely to complete lower secondary education compared to their urban peers. Globally, only 13.6 percent of youth complete vocational education aligned with labor market demands. Land ownership remains concentrated among older generations, often delaying youth entry as independent producers.
Financial inclusion gaps remain significant. Youth are less likely than adults to hold formal financial accounts, limiting their ability to invest, scale enterprises, or withstand economic shocks.
At the same time, youth are leading digital adoption. More than 80 percent of young people globally use the internet, exceeding older age groups. In Rwanda and across East Africa, digital platforms are expanding access to extension services, mobile payments, and market information. Digital transformation offers a pathway for generational renewal in agriculture.
The Economic Dividend
FAO estimates that eliminating youth unemployment in agrifood systems could add USD 670 billion to global GDP.
For African governments, the policy message is clear. Broad agrifood system transformation must be paired with youth-targeted empowerment. Investment in research and development, rural infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, and digital connectivity must align with improved access to land, finance, and skills training.
Youth inclusion is not a secondary development objective. It is foundational to resilient food systems and long-term economic stability.
From Kigali to the wider continent, Africa’s food future depends on whether its young women and men are equipped not only to farm, but to innovate, process, trade, and lead.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems, Rome, 2026.
© FAO 2026. Used for reporting and analysis purposes.
