FANRPAN Champions Youth-Led Food Systems Transformation at the 8th Southern Africa Youth Forum
Johannesburg, South Africa | 21 July 2026
FANRPAN participated in the 8th Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF) which was held in Johannesburg under the timely theme, “Nourishing Futures: Enhancing Food Security and Water Resilience through Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Action for Youth Empowerment.”
The Forum brought together young leaders, policymakers, development partners, innovators, and private sector for three days of dialogue on strengthening youth participation in regional policy and development processes.
Discussions explored agriculture and food security, climate action, entrepreneurship, innovation and regional integration, with a strong emphasis on translating youth-led ideas and solutions into meaningful policy influence and investment.
FANRPAN actively contributed to the Forum, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring that young people are not only beneficiaries of agricultural transformation but active participants in shaping the policies and investments that drive it. A key contribution was FANRPAN’s participation in the panel discussion on Fertilizer Sovereignty and Food Security, where Mukonazwothe Mateletele joined regional experts to examine Africa’s dependence on imported fertilisers and the implications for food security amid recurring global supply-chain, energy and geopolitical disruptions.
FANRPAN highlighted the need to move beyond a narrow focus on fertiliser availability towards a broader agenda of soil health, nutrient security and resilient agrifood systems. Discussions emphasised integrated soil fertility management, improved nutrient-use efficiency, strengthened regional fertiliser production and evidence-based policies that reduce external dependencies while safeguarding agricultural productivity and food security.
FANRPAN’s engagement at SAYoF also underscored the importance of creating meaningful spaces for young people to influence agricultural policy, investment and innovation across the SADC region. With young people central to the future of African agriculture, strengthening their capacity, voice and participation in decision-making is critical to building more inclusive, climate-resilient and sustainable food systems.
Through its participation in SAYoF, FANRPAN reaffirmed its commitment to working with young leaders, governments, research institutions and development partners to bridge the gap between evidence, policy and practice, and to ensure that youth perspectives and solutions contribute meaningfully to the transformation of Southern Africa’s agrifood systems.