African Ministers Urged to Harness Youth, Technology to End Hunger

Ministers from across Africa have convened in Mauritania’s capital for a high-level meeting aimed at accelerating efforts to curb hunger and strengthen the continent’s agrifood systems over the next two years.

The gathering, held under the 34th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC34), is setting priorities that will guide the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in shaping its Programme of Work and Budget, while aligning with broader strategic frameworks and country-level plans.

Addressing the conference, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu called on African governments to harness the continent’s youthful population as a driver of agricultural transformation. He urged leaders to reframe Africa’s agricultural narrative, from one of vulnerability and import dependence to one rooted in opportunity, abundance, and prosperity.

“For too long, the narrative surrounding Africa’s agriculture has been one of challenges,” Qu said, emphasizing the need for a shift toward innovation-led growth.

He pointed to emerging technologies, such as drought-resistant seeds and digital extension services, as critical tools to help African countries leapfrog traditional barriers and unlock their agricultural potential. With the right investments, he noted, the continent could position itself as a global food powerhouse.

Despite this optimism, the challenge remains stark. According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025, more than one in five people in Africa were undernourished in 2024, an increase of five percentage points compared to 2010. Climate shocks and conflicts, often originating beyond the continent, continue to exacerbate food insecurity, underscoring the urgency of building resilient domestic production systems.

Qu highlighted Africa’s vast potential, noting that the continent holds around 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, alongside significant water resources. However, he stressed that unlocking this potential will require strategic investments in rural infrastructure to better connect farmers to urban markets.

He also underscored the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area in transforming fragmented national markets into a unified economic bloc capable of driving agricultural growth and trade.

“FAO is your partner in this journey,” he affirmed, calling for bold policy decisions centered on science, innovation, and regional integration.

Financing, however, remains a critical hurdle. Shrinking fiscal space is limiting public investment, while private sector financing depends heavily on confidence and risk mitigation. Qu noted that agriculture currently receives only about two percent of total bank lending in Africa, despite employing nearly half of the continent’s workforce.

To bridge this gap, FAO is promoting blended finance solutions to help de-risk investments in agrifood systems. At the same time, governments are being encouraged to increase credit access to the agricultural sector.

Central to the discussions is also the need to ensure inclusivity. Qu emphasized that achieving sustainable progress will depend on addressing the needs of youth and women, who remain underserved despite being key actors in the sector.

“We must make agriculture attractive, not as a last resort, but as a thriving, high-tech, profitable enterprise,” he said.

As deliberations continue in Nouakchott, ministers are expected to outline actionable strategies that will shape Africa’s food security agenda, at a time when the stakes for the continent’s future have never been higher.