Exploring conference Theme 5: More inclusive and empowering agri-food systems for youth

Your Theme 5 leaders, Kristin and Michael, are both passionate and hopeful about the social inclusion of youth in transforming agri-food systems.“Younger generations are increasingly aware about the need to change production and consumption patterns, the need for sustainable food systems and its connection to climate change,” Kristin says. “People value sustainable agriculture.”Michael sees “young people’s aspirations, attitudes, and grit as critical elements for success in sustainable livelihoods” in food, land and water systems.

Kristin Davis works on social and gender inclusion issues, and nature-positive agricultural solutions, farmer organizations, and agricultural innovation systems. Her doctorate was in agricultural education and communication/extension. One area of focus for Michael Euler—who is an agricultural economist at CIMMYT—is understanding how innovations affect different segments of society: young farmers, women farmers, and resource-poor farms. He’s particularly interested in how innovations diffuse among small-scale farms, and their related agronomic, economic and social impacts.

As they together lead Theme 5 of the Gender in Food, Land and Water Systems Conference 2025, Kristin and Michael understand the complex problems for youth regarding agriculture: “Various challenges make agriculture unattractive for youth, but a large share of many lower- and middle-income country populations are youth,” Kristin says.The challenges include diminishing farm size, aging farmer populations, barriers to services and inputs, and low returns (sometimes too low to make a living). Family farms are the backbone of food production, producing a significant share of global food supply.However, there are many opportunities for young people within agricultural transformation and food systems change.“Start-ups that help coordinate demand and supply for services are an example of opportunities for young people to engage—especially in rural areas in agricultural product and throughout the value chain, such as service provision in transportation, brokering, advice, and value addition.”When asked if the world needs to rethink how youth are often seen as the ‘future’ of food systems, Michael is careful to emphasize the difficulties youth experience with traditional family farming: “Farmers need functioning context in which they operate, access to services, markets, infrastructure, and information. Women and youth are often still disadvantaged for structural and cultural reasons.”They also call out common but unhelpful stereotypes in discussions—agriculture is not cool, work is too hard. Michael says that three things would benefit the community:more nuanced discussions on the specific constraints and barriers youth face when entering agriculturelessons from success stories about overcoming these barriersacknowledgement of opportunities not just in production but also services such as transportation, brokering, advice and value additionThere are several critical actions to make sure we include youth in agri-food transformation: “We need to highlight how youth are already engaged in agri-food systems, showcase their potential in sustainable transformation, learn from their successes and ensure we create enabling environments for young people’s agribusinesses.”Although access to finance and markets remains a major hurdle for young entrepreneurs, Kristin says we need to embed them in current systems or equip them to run a viable agribusiness, citing two examples:The Kuza model trains young people from rural communities to become agripreneurs. It also provides a digital marketplace to connect with service providers, offer bundled services to smallholder farmers, and access financial services.The CGIAR East and Southern Africa Regional Integrated Initiative ‘Ukama Ustawi’ set up a self-sustaining revolving fund to provide financial support to young agripreneurs who also received business training.