FAQs
AGRA - Mastercard Foundation Partnership FAQs
The Mastercard Foundation and AGRA have partnered in a $350 million initiative to create sustainable employment for young Africans, with a focus on young women. The program strengthens agri-food systems, enhances youth participation in governance and decision-making, and improves coordination and policy frameworks that support youth engagement.
The partnership will aim to reach 10 million young people, including young women, while transitioning at least 1.5 million of them into dignified and fulfilling work in agriculture. It also represents a substantial financial investment in jobs for young people, young women, and in the agriculture sector, which are often underserved.
The partnership runs for five years, from 2023 to 2027. It aims to create 1.5 million dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young people, especially young women, by supporting the growth of inclusive agri-food systems.
No. We will not have a physical event symbolizing the beginning of the partnership. Other collateral e.g., formal announcements during the span of the partnership through official channels may be decided on.
The partnership between AGRA and Mastercard Foundation is intended to benefit young farmers and agri-preneurs through:
- Improved coordination and strengthened institutions to promote youth employment.
- Strengthened youth entrepreneurship ecosystem.
- Equitable access to increased market opportunities.
- Improved sustainable agricultural productivity for competitiveness by youth farmers.
- Deepened financial inclusion for youth.
- Increased inclusion and strengthened voice of young people, especially women.
Mastercard Foundation is working closely with AGRA to develop a communications strategy that will inform how the partnership is communicated. For inquiries, please contact: media@agra.org
AGRA works with local partners and ecosystem actors to deliver the program and enable sustainable employment for youth, especially young women, through growth in agri-food systems. Platforms like Generation Africa and VALUE4HER provide opportunities for participation. Partnership opportunities are announced on www.agra.org. To express interest, email info@agra.org.
Youth were meaningfully involved in the design of the program. AGRA engaged them through town halls and the Youth Employment Diagnostic Framework (Y-EDF), helping identify priorities and shape interventions. Their feedback continues to guide implementation and planning at the country level.
Unlike past collaborations, this partnership combines country-level and continental action through a dedicated pillar that addresses systemic barriers to youth employment and includes a focus on climate action. The earlier 2014 partnership focused on financial inclusion and reached over 2 million farmers with digital solutions.
The partnership operates in Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda may also opt into the program. Continental-level initiatives will support regional learning and the scaling of successful country efforts.
The continental pillar of the partnership will address systemic constraints that inhibit unemployed and underemployed young people’s participation in inclusive agricultural and food system transformation in Africa. Activities include:
- In conjunction with the African Union Commission (AUC), African Union Development Agency and Regional Economic Communities, reform, implement and translate continental and regional frameworks into policies, strategies and programs that enable youth work opportunities in agri-food systems (including regional trade and climate action)
- Ensure and facilitate inclusion of youth in regional and continental policy and dialogue with governments and mandated institutions.
- Develop an African Youth Index that provides an annual review on the state of youth entrepreneurship and employment in the agrifood system.
- Leverage the convening power of regional and continental platforms, including the AGRF summit, to generate and sustain momentum for youth employment in food systems.
- Provide technical assistance to continental institutions (e.g., AUC, Regional Economic Communities) and continental youth networks to better coordinate and deliver on youth initiatives.
- Mobilize public and private sector climate financing for youth enterprises.
- At the country level, the partnership will (through AGRA platforms and implementing partners) address the perception of young people towards agrifood systems work opportunities, to increase their participation in value chains and trade opportunities. The aims to catalyse a youth friendly entrepreneurship ecosystem suitable for creating and sustaining work opportunities.