How African Youths Can Champion Climate Action Through Agriculture

According to the World Meteorological Organization, Africa accounts for less than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, even though its countries face some of the harshest impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, droughts, and unpredictable rainfall continue to threaten food systems, economies, and livelihoods of many African countries. At the same time, Africa has one of the youngest populations, with most countries having a high youth population. However, many African youths still view agriculture as a traditional, manual, and labor-intensive career path, which leads them to abandon the sector for corporate opportunities in urban areas. This situation limits Africa's ability to build climate resilience through sustainable farming. To address this challenge, African governments, institutions, and communities must promote climate-smart agriculture among the youth, increase access to agricultural technology and innovation, and strengthen youth support through financing and training.

Agriculture is the backbone of many African economies, and climate-related disruptions directly affect food security, income generation, and economic stability. A report by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reveals that Africa’s agricultural productivity has declined by 34 percent since 1961 due to climate-related factors. Reduced agricultural productivity could worsen hunger and poverty and deepen dependence on imports. Without youth involvement in sustainable agriculture, the continent may struggle to achieve climate resilience and long-term development goals.

As climate change continues to feature in broader global discussions, youths in Africa have a unique opportunity to lead the way in championing climate action through climate-smart agricultural practices. Promoting climate-smart agricultural practices among young people is one way to reimagine this negative effect. Nature-based practices such as agroforestry, conservation farming, crop rotation, intercropping, and water harvesting help reduce environmental damage while improving soil health, productivity, and resilience to climate change. Some countries, such as Kenya and Rwanda, have already been promoting sustainable farming practices through youth cooperatives and community-based agricultural programs. And these initiatives have improved food production while protecting natural resources.

However, it is important for more African governments to promote climate-smart agriculture programs in schools, universities, and youth centers. Community demonstrations, awareness campaigns, and farmer field schools can help young people understand the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable farming. This will help improve food security, better soil conservation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase employment opportunities for youth. Furthermore, it will empower more young people to become environmental stewards in their communities.

Another important measure is increasing youth access to modern agricultural technology and innovation. Today’s agriculture is rapidly changing through digital tools such as mobile farming applications, drones, irrigation systems, weather-monitoring technologies, and mechanized equipment. Across Africa, agritech platforms are already helping improve financial inclusion, with digital services reaching hundreds of thousands of farmers and reducing transaction costs by up to 50 percent in some value chains.

Governments and private sector players can support this by increasing investment in rural internet access, innovation hubs, mechanization centers, and affordable technology for young farmers. However, a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reveals that only about 36 percent of rural populations in Sub-Saharan Africa currently have internet access, which limits the full potential of digital agriculture expansion. Training programs in digital agriculture and entrepreneurship should also be expanded to ensure young people can effectively use emerging technologies and participate in agribusiness value chains. Modernizing agriculture can help attract more youth into the sector and improve productivity. In addition, providing youth-friendly financing schemes, grants, and agricultural loans can help young farmers to invest in climate-smart practices. Evidence from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) shows that targeted financial inclusion for rural youth significantly improves agricultural productivity and the agribusiness value chain.

Governments, banks, Non Governmental Organizations, and development organizations should work together to create accessible financial programs for youth-led agricultural projects. Strengthening agricultural extension services is also critical, as FAO research shows that countries with strong extension systems can increase smallholder productivity by up to 40 percent, particularly when farmers receive regular training and technical support. Mentorship programs further help bridge the knowledge gap by connecting young farmers with experienced practitioners who can guide them in agribusiness development and climate-smart practices.

Collectively, increased youth participation in climate-smart agriculture can strengthen food security, reduce unemployment, and improve environmental sustainability across the continent. These efforts would not only build climate resilience but also prevent future economic instability, migration pressures, and resource conflicts linked to food shortages and poverty. By empowering young people to lead in sustainable agriculture, Africa can create a greener, more secure, and economically resilient future for generations to come.

Ruth Chileshe is a writing fellow at African Liberty.