Sub-Saharan Africa’s youths are change agents for sustainable food system transformation: Evidence, Challenges and Opportunities

Transforming Africa’s agriculture and food system to become more sustainable, resilient and equitable requires urgent systemic change. This chapter focuses on the critical role of youth as agents of transformation. It synthesises emerging evidence on how young people across Sub-Saharan Africa play a transformative role in the transition toward sustainable and resilient food systems. Drawing on examples from a wide range of contexts, the chapter focuses on underreported pathways through which youth are driving change towards sustainability through efforts in regenerative agriculture, digital and climate-smart technologies, circular economy practices, agro-processing, sustainable agribusiness models, and inclusive value chains. Despite the growing momentum behind youth-led agricultural sustainable food system transformation in Africa, several systemic barriers limit these efforts' scalability and long-term impact. The chapter proposes strategic recommendations focused on youth-responsive policy reform, including tailored financing mechanisms and institutional support for skills development and innovation to sustain the momentum of sustainable food system transformation. The findings contribute to policy and academic debates on sustainable development, food security, and youth empowerment, offering insights for aligning national strategies with global goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 and SDG 12.