African youth initiatives focus on agriculture and innovation

Regional initiatives in Africa are focusing on bridging the gap between education and economic productivity through agriculture and technological innovation.

At the second edition of the Gfac, Nigerien Minister of Agriculture, Colonel Elhadji Ousmane Mahaman, advocated for a massive return of youth to the agricultural sector. He emphasized that agriculture should be at the heart of development strategies, moving beyond simple production to include processing and marketing to create a complete value chain. The event featured the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Academy, which aims to provide training in business management, marketing, and project development to help young people transform knowledge into concrete economic activities.

In Cameroon, the 8th edition of the Salon du Génie et du Talent de l’Étudiant Camerounais (GETEC) concluded with a focus on transitioning university innovations into industrial applications. Professor Wilfred Nyongbet Gabsa, representing the Ministry of Higher Education, urged students to view their academic projects as seeds for future businesses and drivers of national sovereignty. The goal is to foster an entrepreneurial university model that contributes to local production and job creation.