The 19^th edition of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF 2025) challenged young entrepreneurs to lead the transformation of African agriculture through innovation and technology.

At the forum’s opening on September 1st in Dakar, Senegal, His Excellency President Paul Kagame of Rwanda delivered a powerful message: Africa must tap into the energy and creativity of its youth to modernize agriculture. He called on African governments to focus on young people through education, financing, and different partnerships so that all these young minds with their innovation and ideas in terms of entrepreneurship can thrive.

The forum brought together a diverse array of stakeholders: government officials, international organizations, policy analysts, researchers, agri-food supply chain operators, investors, and young entrepreneurs. Their shared mission was to transform African agriculture into a driving force for self-reliance and sustainable development.

Despite its immense potential, being home to nearly 1.5 billion people, hosting the world’s youngest population (with over 400 million aged 15–35), possessing 60% of the world’s arable land, and enjoying year-round sunshine, Africa’s agriculture sector still faces a range of challenges. These include climate change, low investment in agri-food systems, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of skills among youth, fragmented policies, and unresolved land reform issues.

Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, attended the forum as part of President Kagame’s delegation. In several high-level panel discussions, Minister Bagabe reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to the Kampala Declaration, a strategic plan aimed at mobilizing $100 billion in agricultural investments by 2035 through the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation PSTA5 2024-2029. The plan also targets a 45% increase in food production, a tripling of intra-African agri-food trade, and a 50% reduction in post-harvest losses, and Rwanda has streamlined the Kampala Declaration targets into NST2 and PSTA5.

Highlighting the economic significance of value chains such as coffee, Minister Bagabe urged stakeholders to ensure that smallholder producers benefit more directly from agricultural trade. He also encouraged young people to transform agricultural challenges into digital opportunities, citing innovations like drone-mapped farms and AI-powered supply chains as prime examples of youth-led transformation.

Seventeen young Rwandan entrepreneurs participated in AFSF 2025, representing sectors such as farming, agricultural product manufacturing (notably coffee, pepper, and avocado), and agricultural waste management. Some entrepreneurs showcased eco-friendly innovations, including soap bars made from cassava peels. These young innovators were given a platform to pitch their projects to investors and seek financial support.

During the pitching session, Ambassador Festus Bizimana of Rwanda echoed President Kagame’s call to action, telling the youth:

“You have the power to feed Africa and the world. Africa’s future is not in aid dependency, but in innovation, resilience, and competition on equal footing.”

AFSF 2025 attracted participants from 106 countries, including representatives from 120 international organizations. Rwanda not only demonstrated its agricultural leadership but also provided technical expertise in organizing the forum through the Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB).

Rwanda has been selected to host the 20^th edition of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF 2026) and currently hosts the Africa Food Systems Secretariat.

In his closing remarks, Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Mabouba Diagne, expressed his gratitude to President Kagame for his visionary leadership and commitment to a self-reliant Africa. The event concluded with a vibrant cultural performance by Amariza, a traditional Rwandan dance troupe based in Dakar.