Transforming Africa’s Food Systems: Seth Charles Mkisi Advocates for Youth Engagement at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024
In the heart of Kigali, Rwanda, the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024 convened over 3,000 participants from across 70+ countries, including global leaders, investors, agripreneurs, and other key stakeholders. With the theme “Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale: Delivering Food Systems Transformation in a Digital and Climate Era,” the forum focused on driving efforts to build sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems across Africa. Among the most impactful discussions was the session titled “Meaningful Youth Engagement in Agripreneurship,” where Seth Charles Mkisi, Founder and Managing Director of Shamba Box, played a crucial role as a panelist.
This side event, organized by SNV, Netherlands Food Partnership, AGRA, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, and the Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity, explored how inclusive, youth-centric policies could play a pivotal role in shaping resilient food systems across the continent. It highlighted the significance of young people’s involvement in addressing agricultural challenges and transforming Africa’s agri-food systems.
Shamba Box: Leading Change in Tanzania
Shamba Box, has been a leading advocate for empowering farmers, agripreneurs, and other stakeholders in the country’s agricultural sector. With a focus on transforming food systems and the agricultural value chain, Shamba Box aims to address key challenges such as limited market access, unsustainable practices, and climate resilience. The organization’s mission is to help build a sustainable and resilient food system that empowers Tanzanian farmers and creates opportunities for youth agripreneurs.
Under the leadership of Seth Charles Mkisi, Shamba Box has been instrumental in promoting modern farming practices, offering training and support for agripreneurs, and advocating for policies that create an enabling environment for innovation and growth in the agriculture sector.
Challenges and Opportunities for Youth Agripreneurs
During his address, Mkisi emphasized the potential of young agripreneurs in transforming Africa’s food systems but also pointed out the barriers they face. He noted that:
“Agri-preneurs have the capacity to transform the food ecosystem. However, young people across Africa are facing similar challenges: access to land, startup capital, and sustainable markets; environmental degradation; and exclusion in the policy discourse,” Mkisi said.
These challenges, according to Mkisi, limit the ability of young agripreneurs to establish and scale their ventures. The lack of access to critical resources such as land and financing, combined with the growing environmental threats exacerbated by climate change, poses significant hurdles for the continent’s youth.
Advocating for Youth Involvement in Policy-Making
Mkisi’s message was clear: the solution to these challenges lies in the meaningful engagement of youth in the policy-making process. He argued that involving young people in every stage of policy development — from formulation to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation — would lead to innovative and sustainable solutions. As he stated:
“It is not about implementing policies; it’s about meaningfully engaging young people in the full cycle. Involving young people in seeking solutions to these challenges, particularly in policy formulation, can contribute to bringing innovation, new ideas, creativity, and sustainability.”
Mkisi’s insights highlighted that youth engagement is not just an add-on but a critical component of creating lasting and effective policies for Africa’s agricultural future.
Call to Action for Stakeholders
Mkisi’s address served as a rallying cry for governments, development organizations, and private sector actors to step up their efforts in supporting youth agripreneurs. He urged stakeholders to take several key actions:
- Improve Access to Resources: Develop mechanisms that allow young agripreneurs to access land, affordable financing, and sustainable markets.
- Provide Capacity-Building Opportunities: Invest in training programs that equip young agripreneurs with skills in modern farming techniques, business management, and digital tools.
- Foster Youth Participation in Policy-Making: Create platforms where youth voices can be heard and contribute to the development of policies that directly impact their livelihoods.
- Support Environmentally Sustainable Practices: Promote climate-smart agriculture to ensure that young farmers are better equipped to deal with the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
The Future of Agripreneurship in Africa
The Africa Food Systems Forum 2024 was a reminder that Africa’s young population holds the key to transforming the continent’s agriculture sector. By fostering innovation, embracing technology, and promoting inclusivity, Africa can build resilient food systems capable of feeding its growing population and contributing to global food security.
Mkisi’s participation in the forum underscored the critical role of organizations like Shamba Box in empowering youth agripreneurs and transforming food systems in Tanzania. Shamba Box’s efforts to address key agricultural challenges while creating opportunities for innovation and sustainability reflect the broader goals of the forum. By focusing on meaningful youth engagement, Shamba Box and other stakeholders are helping shape the future of agripreneurship in Africa.
Conclusion
The 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum spotlighted the urgent need to “Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale” sustainable solutions in Africa’s agricultural sector. As the forum concluded, it became evident that youth are not only the future of agripreneurship but also the present. By empowering young agripreneurs through policy engagement, capacity building, and access to resources, Africa can accelerate its journey towards resilient and sustainable food systems.
For Tanzania, Shamba Box stands at the forefront of this transformation, supporting farmers, agripreneurs, and stakeholders across the agricultural value chain. With leaders like Seth Charles Mkisi advocating for youth involvement and promoting innovative solutions, Tanzania — and Africa — are on the path to a brighter and more sustainable agricultural future.
