{"id":55446,"date":"2025-09-01T17:55:35","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T17:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/kagame-urges-african-youth-to-walk-the-talk-in-agri-food-revolution\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T13:05:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T13:05:57","slug":"kagame-urges-african-youth-to-walk-the-talk-in-agri-food-revolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/kagame-urges-african-youth-to-walk-the-talk-in-agri-food-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Kagame urges African youth to walk the talk in agri-food revolution"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>He made the remarks on Monday, September 1, during a Youth Town Hall session at the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dakar, Senegal, where he joined host President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal and leaders in agri-food systems from across the continent.<\/p>\n<p>Kagame cautioned against Africa\u2019s overreliance on external support despite its abundant resources, noting that the continent\u2019s vast arable land, water, and technology should be enough to achieve food security if coupled with strong political will and youth-driven innovation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have conferences, we have forums, we\u2019re everywhere, saying the right things. But in the end, what can we measure? What results are there to show for the efforts? We must start working the talk and move from talking to doing,\u201d Kagame said.<\/p>\n<p>He emphasised that governments, youth, and women all have shared responsibilities in driving change, pointing to Rwanda\u2019s demographic structure\u2014where women make up over half of the population and 75% are under 35\u2014as proof that inclusive action is essential.<\/p>\n<p>Kagame also highlighted Rwanda\u2019s partnerships in agriculture, citing initiatives such as the Rwanda Institute of Conservation Agriculture (RICA), which trains young innovators from across Africa, and the Rwanda Ireme Invest fund, which mobilised $100 million at COP27 to support climate-smart agriculture.<\/p>\n<p>The President urged young people to complement their demands for support with active participation in entrepreneurship, innovation, and responsible leadership.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t hold people accountable when you are not playing your part,\u201d he noted. \u201cYoung people must feel an obligation. There is no sitting back and waiting until someone comes to help\u2014you must be actively engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s Africa Food Systems Forum is being held from August 31 to September 5, 2025, at the CICAD and Diamniadio Expo Center in Dakar under the theme \u201cAfrica\u2019s Youth Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The summit has drawn over 5,000 delegates, including heads of state, ministers, business leaders, researchers, farmers, and young entrepreneurs. Discussions are focusing on youth-led agribusiness, digital innovation, agricultural financing, and building resilience against climate change, while also addressing the inclusion of marginalized groups.<\/p>\n<p>The AFSF, formerly known as the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), has been held annually since 2010. Last year\u2019s edition took place in Kigali, Rwanda.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93653 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzxkqwmw0aazdj4.jpg\" alt=\"President Paul Kagame has called on Africa\u2019s young people to move beyond rhetoric and take responsibility in transforming the continent\u2019s agriculture and food systems, stressing that dignity, self-reliance, and accountability must be at the heart of Africa\u2019s development journey.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93650 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzxkqwlwiaaxtmj.jpg\" alt=\"President Kagame made the remarks on Monday, September 1, during a Youth Town Hall session at the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dakar, Senegal, where he joined host President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal and leaders in agri-food systems from across the continent.\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93651 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzxkqwkwwaa02vj.jpg\" alt=\"President Kagame emphasised that governments, youth, and women all have shared responsibilities in driving change\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93652 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzxkqwyxuaasx-g.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93654 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzwd7auxgaekckf.jpg\" alt=\"The summit has drawn over 5,000 delegates, including heads of state, ministers, business leaders, researchers, farmers, and young entrepreneurs. \" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Paul Kagame has called on Africa\u2019s young people to move beyond rhetoric and take responsibility in transforming the continent\u2019s agriculture and food systems, stressing that dignity, self-reliance, and accountability must be at the heart of Africa\u2019s development journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000093649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[72,75],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-featured-news-home","tag-homenews","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"contributors":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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