Through our new research programme on Youth in Just Food Systems Transition, INCLUDE is working with research teams across Africa to examine how food systems transformation is reshaping opportunities for young people, and what is needed to make these transitions truly just.

Their research on Rwanda highlights one of Africa’s most ambitious and coordinated food systems transformation agendas, characterised by strong state leadership, digital innovation, and clear commitments to youth inclusion and climate-smart agriculture. At the same time, the study shows how a strong focus on productivity and commercialisation can unintentionally deepen existing inequalities when structural barriers remain unaddressed.

Importantly, the study demonstrates how unequal access to land, finance and digital tools, limited participation of rural youth in decision-making, gendered divisions of labour and income, and dependence on middlemen and volatile markets continue to shape young people’s opportunities within the food system. The report also highlights how climate pressures and crop intensification policies can undermine farmer autonomy and resilience. At the same time, it points to the transformative potential of more inclusive and youth-driven approaches, with growing youth engagement in agripreneurship, food processing, and climate adaptation initiatives helping to build more equitable and sustainable food systems.