The spotlight was firmly on Africa’s rising agricultural innovators as graduates of the Youth Leader Incubation Programme (YLIP), a collaboration between the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (Sacau) and the Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA), were celebrated at a lively awards ceremony alongside Sacau’s agroecology conference.
Masankho Banda, a trainer at AHA, captured the crowd with his heartfelt interpretation of the YLIP abbreviation, showing how each letter represents a blueprint for Africa’s future.
Y – Yes: Banda highlighted the graduates’ eagerness to learn and take action. “They’re saying yes – give us the skills; we’re ready to do what we can for our continent,” he said, describing them as the driving force ready to transform Africa.
L – Learning: Over twenty days of intensive training, the participants absorbed knowledge with astonishing speed. “Their capacity to learn was like water falling into the desert and soaking through,” Banda remarked.
He stressed that continuous learning is vital for Africa’s food security, adding, “There is no reason why the term food insecurity should be on any news headline.”
I – Innovation: Banda praised the graduates’ readiness to try new approaches. Leveraging platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, they are spreading information creatively. He also encouraged blending ancestral wisdom with modern solutions, noting, “We can learn from our ancestors and adapt their methods to our reality in 2025 and beyond.”
P – Partnerships: Collaboration is central to their vision. Banda explained, “They will partner with us, with national unions, with people in Germany and Belgium. They understand that transformation requires teamwork.”
With pride radiating from his speech, Banda likened the graduates’ growth to a rocket launch: “Before the training, they were like a plane taking off; now, they’re like a rocket going to the moon.”
Youth president hails transformation through Sacau
Cephas Kamanga, president for youth under Sacau, agronomist, farmer, and agro-input entrepreneur with the Zambia Farmers Union, took the stage to share how Sacau’s youth leader programmes have reshaped young agricultural leaders.
“Where you see us today, we were not like this before. We’ve really transformed,” Kamanga said, highlighting the growth in leadership, confidence, and the courage to speak boldly. “When we first came, we did not know how to stand and speak confidently. Sacau really shaped us.”
Addressing the dreams and potential of Africa’s youth, he emphasised that this transformation is a foundation for lasting impact. “We’ve worked hard on our leadership. We’ve really changed.”
Kamanga also urged Sacau to continue its vital role in youth development. “Keep growing us, training us, and bringing more capacity-building programs. We are the youths for the future, but when is the future? The future is today. The future is now.”
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