Youth Leadership for Evidence-Informed Food Systems Transformation in Africa: The role of Science–Policy–Society Interfaces

Date: 1 September 2026 | 10:30–11:30
Location: Food Festival Main Stage | Africa Food Systems Forum 2026, Kigali, Rwanda

Across Africa, valuable research, knowledge and innovation do not always reach the policymakers who could use them. At the same time, young people and local initiatives often have limited opportunities to influence national food systems priorities.

This session will explore how Science–Policy–Society Interfaces can bridge these gaps by bringing researchers, policymakers, young leaders and civil society together around shared national priorities.

Through a fireside chat and roundtable, participants will discuss how evidence can better inform food systems decisions, how research can connect with national food systems pathways, and how young people can play a meaningful role in shaping and following up on national priorities.

The discussion will draw on the Hub’s Science–Policy–Society Interface (SPSI), implemented through its Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) – supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – and its contribution to the CAADP 2026–2035 focus on science-based and inclusive food systems transformation.

Organizers

UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, through its Youth Leadership Programme, and the African Food Fellowship Programme.