Youth, Seeds, and Food Systems: Key Insights from AFSF 2025
At AFSF 2025, we explored how youth leadership, robust seed systems, and strategic partnerships can transform food systems in fragile contexts and build lasting resilience.
Breaking Silos for Transformation
One of the strongest messages from the forum was the need to break down silos in food systems, and act together. This doesn’t just mean across sectors—such as crop farming, livestock, nutrition, and post-harvest—but even within a single sector. A systems approach that connects research, policy, and practice is essential for food system transformation.
Centering African Youth
Africa’s young population stood at the heart of this year´s conference. From school feeding programs that stimulate demand for nutritious foods to youth-led agribusiness training hubs in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, the takeaway was clear: young Africans are not spectators, they are central actors. The challenge is shifting mindsets to regard agriculture as an innovative, viable business while ensuring access to finance and skills for growth-oriented entrepreneurs.
Key reflections on youth:
- Youth-led training and skills programs are already creating impact but need to be scaled and require greater investment.
- Peer success stories can inspire others to pursue agribusiness careers.
- Growth-oriented youth entrepreneurs need tailored support and access to finance.
- Youth need to be in the centre at driving their own innovation, and those in fragile contexts should not be forgotten.
Seeds, Markets & Women’s Agency
Strengthening local seed production, linking smallholders to markets, and ensuring access to improved, certified seeds—both cereals and horticultural—are essential to resilience. WHH presented insights on “opportunity crops” that boost nutrition while building climate resilience. Women´agencyemerged as essential change-makers—championing equitable access to resources and unlocking transformative agricultural leadership.
Trade, Innovation, Research & Going Beyond Aid
A recurring message at the forum: trade—not aid—must drive sustainable growth. Market systems, even in fragile contexts, show resilience through innovationadaptation. Funding constraints can push creativity, enabling local actors to “achieve more with less” and co-create evidence-based solutions responsive to context and scale.
WHH: Positioning for Future Impact - Key Messages from AFSF 2025
- Youth Leadership: From school feeding networks, climate champions to agribusiness hubs, youth are catalysts for inclusive, locally-led and sustainable food systems.
- Seed Systems: Access to improved seeds and functioning markets are critical to resilience—demand must drive production.
- Women’s Empowerment: Women are central actors in transformation but need access to capital, leadership roles, and recognition.
- Innovation in Fragile Contexts: Challenges breed solutions; resource constraints can spark context-specific innovations.
- Strategic Positioning: WHH’s forum contributions reaffirm its vision as a food systems champion—linking grassroots, private sector, and policy arenas.
