About Us

About YEFFA

The Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) program is a $350 million USD initiative running from September 2023 to August 2028. Implemented by AGRA across multiple African countries, the program aims to create 1.5 million work opportunities for young people within agri-food systems by strengthening ecosystems and mobilizing both public and private sector support.

YEFFA operates through continental and country-specific pillars to address systemic barriers and foster national value chains, ultimately accelerating youth employment and agricultural transformation.

Our Vision

To catalyze dignified and fulfilling work for young people, especially young women, through investments that unlock system barriers, build resilience, and enhance capabilities to promote the inclusive growth of sustainable food systems while empowering young people.

Our Target

YEFFA targets 10 million unemployed and underemployed youth through its program activities, with 1.5 million young people (50% of them young women and 2% internally displaced persons (IDPs) or refugees) transitioned into dignified and fulfilling work opportunities.

At AGRA, we recognize that transforming Africa's food systems requires intentional investment in youth - not as a future consideration, but as a current driver of innovation, enterprise, and inclusive growth. Our commitment is to create enabling ecosystems, targeted financing, and capacity-building platforms that allow young people to lead solutions across the agri-food systems value-chain. Youth are not just integrated into agriculture - they are central to its transformation and AGRA has prioritized the need to galvanize critical partners to ensure Africa's youth thrive in food systems.
Alice Ruhweza
President of AGRA

Countries we operate in

YEFFA is transforming agriculture in 9 core countries:
Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.

Additional countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, can opt into the program, ensuring a Pan-African impact.