What's Happening?
The Africa Food Systems Summit 2025 in Dakar, Senegal, emphasizes the role of youth in transforming agri-food systems for a resilient food value chain. Smallholder farmers, who produce a significant portion of the world's food, face challenges in making their practices sustainable and safe. Dr. Dennis Rangi from CABI highlights the risks associated with aflatoxins and chemical pesticides, which pose health threats to humans and livestock and harm ecosystems. The summit advocates for a One Health approach, integrating agriculture, health, environment, and trade sectors to manage foodborne risks. Empowering youth and women is crucial for driving agricultural transformation, with initiatives like PlantwisePlus in Kenya and Uganda promoting Integrated Pest Management and biological control solutions.
Why It's Important?
Smallholder farmers are vital for global food security, producing a substantial portion of the world's food supply. However, their practices often involve risks that can lead to health issues and environmental damage. Addressing these challenges is essential for ensuring safe and sustainable food production. The involvement of youth and women in agriculture can lead to innovative solutions and drive economic growth in rural areas. By adopting a One Health approach, stakeholders can collaborate across sectors to reduce health burdens and improve food safety. This transformation is necessary to meet the growing global demand for food and to mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture.
What's Next?
Future efforts will focus on enhancing policy frameworks, capacity building, and technology implementation to support sustainable farming practices. Governments and development partners are expected to provide long-term funding to empower women and youth in agriculture. Initiatives like Ukulima True in Kenya will continue to promote safe pesticide use and risk reduction. Collaboration between sectors will be crucial for developing strategies that ensure food safety from production to consumption. The success of these efforts will depend on the active participation of young farmers and agro-dealers in implementing sustainable practices.
