IFPRI Rwanda, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the World Food Programme (WFP), and in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), will host a two-day National Roundtable Discussion and National Conference on youth employment in Rwanda’s agrifood systems in person and online.
The events are part of the project Strengthening Food Systems to Promote Increased Value Chain Employment Opportunities for Youth. The project aims to generate evidence and identify effective approaches for expanding innovative, digitally enabled, dignified and fulfilling livelihood opportunities for young people, particularly young women, across agrifood systems.
Virtual registration is available HERE. In-person attendance is by invitation only. For questions or inquiries about attending in person, please contact Esther Tumuhairwe at E.Tumuhairwe@cgiar.org.
November 19, 2026 | Day 1: National Roundtable Discussion | 8:00am- 1:00pm (Africa/Kigali)
Theme: Translating Evidence into Action: Advancing Dignified and Fulfilling Youth Employment in Rwanda’s Agrifood Value Chains
The roundtable will bring together key agrifood stakeholders for focused dialogue on evidence-based strategies to advance dignified and fulfilling employment for young women and men. A high-level panel of government representatives, IFPRI, its partners and other leading sector voices will explore the research to date, the challenges young people face and the solutions available. The panel aims to identify priority actions and a call to action for policymakers, private sector actors and development partners, setting the stage for the National Conference the following day.
November 20, 2026 | Day 2: National Conference | 8:00am- 4:30pm (Africa/Kigali)
Theme: Reimagining Youth Employment in Rwanda’s Agrifood Systems: Evidence, Innovation, and Opportunities
The conference will convene government, research institutions, development organizations, the private sector, civil society, young researchers and youth networks for an in-depth look at the research so far and the role each partner can play in advancing youth employment. The sessions will explore innovative solutions, address barriers to youth employment, and identify opportunities to strengthen young people’s participation in agrifood value chains.
The research sessions will share findings from IFPRI’s research on youth employment in Rwanda’s agrifood value chains, which draws directly on young people’s experiences in agrifood work. The research helps illuminate what attracts young people, what discourages them, what supports them, and what would make agrifood opportunities more dignified and fulfilling. As the emerging findings show, young people are already active across agrifood value chains, from production and processing to trading and marketing, and have strong aspirations for better employment and livelihoods.
The agenda will be announced in the coming days.