Across Africa, women and youth are playing a critical role in agriculture, food systems and community development. Yet despite their energy, innovation and growing involvement, many still face significant barriers to meaningful participation and leadership. Barriers include access to knowledge, mentorship, financing and policy spaces. With nearly 60% of Africa’s population under the age of…
Led by ICLEI Africa and various partners each July, this campaign provides a platform for learning, exchange and collaboration, and reimagining more sustainable, nutritious and inclusive food systems. A central part of the campaign is the annual photo competition that across 2023, 2024 and 2025 showcased striking visual stories of African food cultures, local foods…
There is a particular tension many young people are holding today: living between crisis and possibility. We are a generation growing up alongside climate anxiety, economic uncertainty and systems that increasingly feel out of step with the futures we long for. Across the world, young people are asking difficult questions: How do we live well?…
Think about the last time someone passed something on to you: a recipe, a bag of seedlings, a skill learned from their grandmother. No cash involved, no app, no receipt. Just an exchange rooted in relationship. Something happens when we share like this; it opens the door to a different form of exchange. Green Action…
The steam from the freshly cooked matooke (green bananas) rose into the air, carrying with it a warm, earthy aroma that filled the compound. What time was it? Meal time! We gathered, barefoot, slightly restless, but careful not to touch the food yet. The “Lusaniya” sat at the center, generous and inviting. By Sam Wesamoyo,…
Food systems are the intricate web of people, places and processes that shape how we produce, share and experience food, often unnoticed in daily life. In each of the AfriFOODlinks cities, youth ambassadors were tasked with conceptualising, designing and installing a mural that would start conversations about an aspect of their city’s food system. Ambassadors…
By Farida TIEMTORE, AfriFOODlinks Youth Ambassador, Burkina Faso In Ouagadougou, babenda is not just cooked — it is lived. Between leaves, cracked rice and ground peanuts, a family transforms a simple meal into a moment of sharing, laughter and connection. Babenda is much more than just a dish: it is a hearty mix of local…
YPARD Mexico has consistently focused on turning community knowledge into lasting impact. In Papantla, Veracruz, the team has shown how traditional knowledge, participatory learning and strategic collaboration together can drive resilient rural development. Through sustainability workshops, communities strengthened local skills and explored green livelihoods. The initiative began in the Vicente Guerrero community, where participants engaged…
How much impact can a microgrant of €500 to €750 have? In Agoua village, central Benin, it helped empower young women, strengthen livelihoods and build local leadership through the Fungi for Her Freedom project. Led by Wilfrid Adjimoti of YPARD Benin, the initiative uses mushroom farming as a low-cost, sustainable livelihood strategy to address poverty,…
To celebrate the International Year of the Women Farmer, YPARD is spotlighting four young women in their network to showcase their experiences and journey in the agrifood systems sector. Sussana Phiri, Zambia: Susana’s journey in agri-food systems began in her family’s smallholder farming community in Zambia, where she developed a deep understanding of the links…