30 November 2024, Dakar — Just before World Environment Week, the Youth Alliance for Agroecology and Climate (YAAC) was officially launched.
This pan-African network embodies the mobilisation of young leaders to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable agroecological solutions.
A necessary commitment for a resilient continent
As Africa faces increasingly pressing climate challenges — shifting rainfall, degrading soils, coastal erosion and rising pressure on food systems — the continent also holds the youngest population in the world.
That combination is the premise of the alliance: the people who will live longest with the consequences should have the most say in the response.
What the alliance sets out to do
- Build a network that crosses borders, disciplines and languages.
- Train young people in agroecological practice, not only in climate theory.
- Carry youth positions into the spaces where environmental policy is decided.
The launch brought together founding members, partners and supporters around a shared conviction: sustainability starts here and now.