Unlocking Africa's youth dividend through integrated regional livestock value chains

african youth

As Africa marks International Youth Day, the African Union - Inter African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), through the African Youth in Livestock Fisheries and Aquaculture Incubation Network (AYLFAIN) platform, reaffirms the central role of young people in shaping the future of Africa’s animal resources sector.

 

Africa’s livestock sector is not only a source of food and livelihoods, but also offers a dynamic economic system that connects producers, traders, aggregators, transporters, processors, financiers, technology providers and regional and international markets. Yet, for Africa to unlock the full economic potential of livestock, young people must move beyond being viewed primarily as beneficiaries of livestock development and become active participants, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and owners of livestock value chains.

 

The transition towards integrated regional livestock value chains presents a significant opportunity for Africa’s youth. From livestock production and aggregation to animal health, feed and fodder, logistics, cold-chain systems, processing, digital market platforms, financial services and regional trade, there is space for young Africans to build enterprises and create decent employment across the entire value chain.

 

The African Youth in Livestock Fisheries and Aquaculture Incubation Network (AYLFAIN) platform provides an important mechanism for ensuring that these opportunities are shaped by youth priorities and translated into practical action. It creates a space for young people to contribute their perspectives, innovation and entrepreneurial energy to the transformation of Africa’s animal resources sector while strengthening their connection to policy, investment and market opportunities.

 

As we celebrate International Youth Day, AU-IBAR calls on governments, regional economic communities, development partners, financial institutions, private-sector actors, producer organizations and youth themselves to strengthen investment in a youth-centred transformation of Africa’s animal resources sector.

 

This agenda should focus on five priorities:

  • Connect youth to regional markets by creating practical pathways for young entrepreneurs to access livestock markets beyond national borders and participate in regional and continental trade.

  • Connect youth to investments, moving beyond grant-based youth programs towards investment-ready businesses, blended financing, guarantees, venture capital and other appropriate financial instruments.

  • Support youth into value addition, processing logistics, technology, animal health, feed, cold chains and other higher-value segments of the livestock economy.

  • Institutionalize youth participation in the design and implementation of policies governing livestock production, trade, investment and regional integration.

  • Strengthen platforms through which young people can exchange knowledge, access market intelligence, develop innovative solutions and learn from successful livestock enterprises across Africa.

Africa's demographic dividend can become an economic dividend if these young people are connected to productive sectors with growing markets and opportunities for enterprise creation. The livestock sector offers precisely such an opportunity, therefore, Africa's youth must be positioned at the center of this transformation.