More than 416 young members of the Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF) from across the 30 districts of Rwanda gathered at the Kigali Convention Centre from 24–25 November 2025 for the Youth Forward for Agrifood Systems Transformation (Youth Fast) 2025 Forum, a national platform for empowering youth-driven transformation in Rwanda's agrifood systems under the theme "Catalyzing Investments for Transformational Impact under PSTA 5".
The forum provided a national platform for youth to hold discussions about how they can transform Rwanda's agrifood systems-from job creation and value addition to innovation and market access. Organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources together with development partners.
Notable among these was the unveiling of the National Strategy for Youth Employment in Agrifood Systems (NS-YEAS) 2025/26-2029/30. With this strategy, 170,000 new jobs are targeted annually on average, or 68% of Rwanda's national employment goal under NST2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources emphasized that the strategy aims to ensure youth access opportunities that are dignified, profitable, and future-ready across all agrifood value chains.
Officials further noted that Rwanda's demographic outlook, with more than 60 percent of its population below 30-years, thus making youth account for one-third of farmers, gives the country a transformational advantage. Yet, despite this potential, challenges continue to affect the nation, such as unemployment and underutilization of labour, with young women and rural youth being in the worst scenarios. NS-YEAS therefore intends to address these issues through targeted investments and skills development.
What is required are conditions made accessible for youth employment, stronger youth organizations, increased productivity among youth, and improving market linkages in the strategic considerations. An internal financing estimated to be around Rwf 173 billion will resource the initiatives for the next five years.
Mico Mariette a young agripreneur, shared her journey saying: "I once ran away from agriculture, but it has become the doorway to the opportunities i had been searching for. today i farm with technology, confidence and pride because while someone may need a doctor once in a while, we all need food every single day"
RYAF Chairperson/Sakina Usengimana
RYAF Chairperson Sakina Usengimana spoke before all the 416 youthful agriprenuers motivating them. Modern agriculture is innovation and technology driven with market-oriented solutions-greenhouses, digital platforms, solar-powered irrigation, cold chains, food processing, etc., it is the call to the youth to stay consistent, continue learning, and support each other.
She concluded: "A seed takes time underground before it becomes visible. Failure is not failure; it's growth."
Government and partners reaffirmed their commitment. Hon. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, announced that new anchor projects under mechanisation, horticulture, poultry, piggery, and fodder production would be put up to equip youth with practical skills and risk reduction in business. AGRA-forwarded encouragement towards youth adoption of innovative, productivity-boosting and effective approaches for limited land in Rwanda.
With the progressive implementation of NS-YEAS, it is anticipated that a new generation of skilled young professionals will be nurtured to transform Rwanda's agrifood systems into a resilient, competitive, and inclusive environment.
RYAF Communication Team