FANRPAN participated in the East African Community (EAC) Joint Sector Review (JSR) held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 27–28 March, 2025. The review brought together stakeholders from EAC Member States, governments, development partners, civil society, youth networks, and the private sector to assess progress in agricultural sector performance and regional policy implementation.
Dr Rachel Mkandawire, representing FANRPAN, contributed to discussions on youth policy implementation within the EAC region, particularly in the context of the African Agribusiness Youth Strategy (AAYS). These discussions explored how youth voices can be meaningfully integrated into national and regional agricultural investment plans.
FANRPAN’s participation was supported through the Youth Employment for Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) initiative, funded by AGRA, which promotes youth inclusion in food systems policy processes across Eastern and Southern Africa. The JSR served as a valuable platform to reflect on accountability mechanisms, policy coherence, and the importance of aligning national efforts with regional youth strategies.
Key messages emerging from the review included the need for stronger coordination among youth-focused programmes, capacity building for young agripreneurs, and more consistent engagement of youth in decision-making spaces across the EAC region.
FANRPAN remains committed to supporting inclusive, evidence-based policy engagement that ensures young people are central to Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda.