Nairobi, Kenya – 5 December 2025
Day 3 of the East African Youth in Agri-Food Systems Expo 2025 (EAYASE-25) marked a historic moment as youth agripreneurs, innovators, policymakers, and development partners converged to produce the inaugural East African Youth Agripreneurs Communiqué a unified declaration designed to influence future policy, investment, and programming across the region’s agrifood systems. Convened under the leadership of AGRA, in partnership with the East African Community (EAC) and other partners, the final day brought together insights from three days of learning, innovation, technology showcases, policy discussions, and enterprise development sessions. What emerged was a powerful display of youth agency and a shared commitment to driving agricultural transformation.
Ms. Sithembile Mwamakamba, Director of Policy & Research at FANRPAN delivered a compelling keynote address themed “Shaping the Rules of the Game: How Youth Can Influence Trade, Climate and Food Systems Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa,” called on young people to recognize their power as policy actors, not just programme beneficiaries.
She highlighted how regional trade constraints, fragmented standards, and limited youth participation in policy processes directly hinder youth-led agribusinesses. “The rules of the game are written by those who show up,” she stated, urging youth to intentionally position themselves within decision-making spaces. She emphasized the need for youth to engage in trade policy harmonisation, climate governance, and food systems transformation, arenas where critical decisions shaping their livelihoods are made.
Sithembile’s keynote set a strong foundation for the Communiqué drafting process, grounding the day in the understanding that policy influence must be deliberate, strategic, and rooted in collective action.
Youth Insights Take Centre Stage in the Communiqué Drafting Session
The flagship session of the day, “Transforming Food Systems Through Youth Innovation,” co-moderated by Mr. Kimathi Githachuri and Dr. Rachel Isabel Mkandawire, guided youth participants through a structured process to turn their lived experiences into actionable policy recommendations. Drawing from the rich discussions of Days 1 and 2, covering seed systems, digital agriculture, financing models, AI, drone technology, markets, and youth enterprise development, participants were organised into thematic groups to interrogate barriers, identify opportunities, and craft solutions across financing, trade, climate-smart agriculture, technology, data, and youth leadership.
Youth explored challenges such as rigid financing models, high input costs, limited adoption of climate-smart solutions, slow harmonisation of regional standards, and restricted access to cross-border markets. They also identified high-potential opportunities in digital agriculture, aquaculture, solar technologies, seed innovation, and the emerging blue economy. The working sessions were dynamic, evidence-driven, and deeply reflective of the innovation and resilience demonstrated by youth throughout the Expo.
The Youth Agripreneurs Communiqué: A Collective Voice for Change
In the afternoon, delegates reconvened to validate their key messages and refine them into a cohesive Youth Agripreneurs Communiqué. The Communiqué presents a united call for more inclusive financing mechanisms that support youth-led enterprises and reflect the realities of early-stage innovators. It emphasises the importance of improving markets and regional trade by harmonising standards, strengthening cross-border infrastructure, and enabling youth to participate competitively in regional value chains. It also highlights the need for greater access to sustainable inputs and climate-smart agricultural practices that can safeguard livelihoods in the face of climate change.
Youth further underscored the transformative potential of technology, digital innovation, and data, urging increased investment in digital ecosystems, innovation hubs, and affordable connectivity. The Communiqué concludes with clear youth commitments and policy asks, expressing their determination to champion sustainability, innovation, accountability, and regional collaboration, while calling for formal mechanisms that ensure youth representation in decision-making spaces across the agrifood system.
EAYASE-25 Day 3 was made possible through the collaboration of AGRA, the East African Community (EAC), FANRPAN, FAO, YouLead, Kenya Airways, GIZ, Global South, Equity Bank, Kenya Airways, Kilimo DataHouse, Eclectics International, and regional youth innovation platforms. Their partnership ensured that youth voices were amplified, organised, and positioned to influence future programmes, investment priorities, and policy decisions.