I agree. It is interesting how our survival is solely dependent on aid. There tends to be limited discussion on how sustainability can be maintained and retained. With 5 years away from the SGDs, the panic is evident. Africa needs to rethink its leadership styles, involvement of stakeholders and learn through this phase to remain relevant to development agenda.

Thanks for the update on the AFS.

I think young people are ready to take on the mantle in transforming agri-food systems.

Several models have be utilized to leverage AFS especially at community level. For instance, in Uganda, the president launched the Parish Development Model, a strategy for delivering services and interventions for wealth creation and employment generation at the parish level in which several young people have greatly benefited. The model has seven pillars, 18 prioritized commodities, and a policy and regulatory framework to streamline service delivery.

However, markets are majorly monopolized, and middlemen majorly link farmers (young and old) throughout the value chain, with little and unfair benefit/income generated. Among the several challenges AFS faces, streamlining each item in agri-value chains gives young people the opportunity to compete.

Very true. Interestingly, the hybrid Policy and Programme Dialogue sparked thoughts on integrating and mainstreaming gender across workstreams.

Interesting call. In my view, this could be a shock resulting into an opportunity for Africa. This gives Africa an opportunity to learn how to improve the quality of its products while at the same time leveraging on its niche to compete in the global economy.

As the world grapples global shocks, organizations’ survival hangs by a thread. Emerging from covid-19 hiccups, and entering sudden Trump executive orders, nations especially African governments and various institutions remain uncertain of their commitments to socio-economic development. what strategies/approaches can they utilize to remain relevant and or continue their operations? and how may they go about it?

Thanks for sharing this great piece.

I think empowerment encompasses several things. For example, during an end of project evaluation on a project titled: Women transformative leadership, I interacted with young women and girls who underwent several facets of empowerment namely, leadership, skills enhancement, sexual reproductive health, mental health, etiquette and much more. During a key informant interview, one of the stated that, she never thought to become a woman district councilor. But, through the project, she was able to compete, share her manifesto and win. To her empowerment was building her confidence in speech.

So, I think empowerment varies with an individual, their conditions, the environment and much more.

I have worked and participated on climate change related work and research. There are several issues hindering the need for climate change sustainability. For Uganda, there remains minimal comprehensive knowledge about climate change related mechanisms at community level. The usual projects like planting trees, making briquettes, are undertaken on a very small scale. Policy majorly ends in conference rooms and workshops with less to no involvement or operationalization of climate change attributes across affected communities.

Lived realities: For example, Mt. Rwenzori glaciers continue to deplete. The only mountain with snow yet the Equator passes through. It inhabits unique species that continue to go extinct. Yet, due to climate change, and extreme heat, the glaciers are vanishing. During rainy seasons, extreme floods affect Uganda and DRC........

At a small scale, we see restoration of lost species, leveraging bee keeping, and managing population growth. This is a long path to change. But, amidst the different strategies, if we leverage on cross-border climate change interventions, we could push further.

Managing unpredictable external forces shows how existing systems can withstand and recover from unexpected threats and disruptions. For Africa, assessing the soundness of existing systems may guide their functionality; and ECA can utilize such assessment in improving resilience while ensuring efficiency.

I think African will achieve the demographic dividend way after 2030, when the proportion of working-age individuals to dependents surpasses 2:1 or, when the dependency ratio falls below 0.5. I believe Africa may start to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend by taking advantage of a favorable age distribution. The demographic dividend offers nations a rare chance to boost economic growth. To ensure that the expanding workforce can effectively contribute to the economy, however, this potential must be realized through deliberate investments in economic policies, health care, and education. As their populations age and dependency ratios rise, nations that miss this chance could face serious socioeconomic problems.

True indeed IITUMBA Ndinelao,Namibia,PCKMD, striking a balance in methodical rigor erases gaps in a real-life context. It brings to life lived experiences, and blending facts.

Governance evolves around several facets. However, in light of ECA, I think before ECA initiates governance related initiatives, the institution needs to reflect on its own readiness to convene diverse perspectives of members states, understand their policy, and programme dimensions, and instigate relationships/channels across countries to leverage benefits for them.

These are great insights. Thanks for sharing Bernard

Thanks for sharing this piece with us. Making social protection inclusive and resilient using data driven systems is interesting. I am delighted to see what comes out of this initiative.