Youth Innovations at the centre stage as Africa grapples with rising food security

As Africa heads into this year’s Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dakar, the numbers paint a grim picture: more than 307 million people—nearly one in five Africans—are going hungry.

The scale of the crisis has renewed calls for urgent action to support youth-led innovations, unlock new forms of financing, and strengthen local food systems.

The forum, which runs from August 31 to September 5, is expected to draw policymakers, development agencies, investors, farmers and innovators from across the continent. Themed, “Africa’s Youth: Leading Collaboration, Innovation and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation,”  it reflects a growing recognition that young Africans hold the key to changing the trajectory of food and nutrition security.

Earlier this year, that potential was on full display at the AYuTe NextGen competition in Kampala, Uganda, where Kenyan innovators scooped top honours for their climate-smart agricultural technologies.

Among them was Carolyn Mwangi, founder of Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries, who won the climate-smart agriculture category. Mwangi’s work in seedling production and distribution has been instrumental in helping farmers adapt to changing weather patterns and boost productivity. Her compatriot Maryanne Gichanga, co-founder of AgriTech Analytics, also emerged as a winner in the digital agriculture category.

Her platform uses data and AI to help farmers make informed decisions on planting, soil management and market trends. Both women were among 11 finalists chosen from over 100 applicants across 10 countries.

The success of these innovators underscores a reality highlighted in the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report - unless Africa invests in local solutions and the young people driving them, the continent risks remaining “far off track” in ending hunger by 2030.

But while ideas are flourishing, challenges remain. Traditional donor models have often struggled to deliver sustainable results. At the same time, many young agripreneurs lack access to finance and markets.

Organisations such as Heifer International, through its AYuTe NextGen platform, have begun experimenting with blended finance and ecosystem-based approaches to bridge this gap.

Since 2021, the initiative has mobilised over $11 million (Sh1.43 billion) in catalytic investments, supported nearly 100 youth-led agri-tech businesses, and indirectly reached 3.5 million smallholder farmers.A recent benchmark study by Aceli Africa highlighted how partnerships—such as one with Kenya’s Hello Tractor—are using technology to expand access to mechanisation.