The poultry sector is emerging as one of the most dynamic sources of employment for young people across rural Africa, offering viable pathways into a modern, technology-driven food economy. With youth participation rising, the industry’s expansion hinges on reducing production costs and advancing innovation in feed systems—particularly since feed accounts for nearly 70% of total expenses for smallholder farmers. Addressing this challenge is critical to enabling micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to scale and meet growing regional demand for affordable protein. n nSmallholder farmers continue to form the foundation of food production on the continent. Their success, especially among women and youth, depends on access to reliable markets, quality inputs, and supportive policy frameworks. By integrating technological tools such as digital advisory platforms, climate-resilient sourcing methods, and improved feed formulations, African agriculture can become more competitive and inclusive. n nInitiatives like the Southern Africa Poultry Initiative, led by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), are working with governments in Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia to streamline grain and feed supply chains. National Poultry Delivery Labs are helping align policies and attract private investment by creating more predictable operating environments. In Malawi, bottlenecks in local feed manufacturing are being reduced; in Tanzania and Mozambique, national strategies are being refined to reflect regional goals; and in Zambia, infrastructure improvements are enhancing grain availability and feed sector efficiency. n nThese coordinated efforts signal a shift from fragmented interventions to unified, system-wide reforms that boost productivity and resilience. Complementing these actions, AGRA launched the Poultry Feed Accelerator Challenge to support MSMEs in developing scalable solutions that lower feed costs and improve farmer profitability. Innovations in ingredient sourcing and feed formulation are expected to directly benefit small-scale producers and increase the stability of protein supplies for consumers. n nThe Poultry Futures Forum in November 2025 brought together government officials, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate reforms and spotlight innovations that enhance competitiveness for smallholders. Parallel progress is also visible in aquaculture, where similar challenges around feed and value chain coordination are being addressed through initiatives like Ghana’s Blue Food Innovation Hub. This convergence highlights a broader opportunity: diversifying Africa’s protein systems to build long-term resilience. n nSustainable transformation will require policies that reflect the realities of farmers, foster youth-led enterprises, and encourage investment in innovation. The next two decades in Africa will be defined by how effectively the continent leverages technology, entrepreneurship, and systemic reform to modernize its food economy. Sectors such as poultry and blue foods exemplify how innovation, youth engagement, and smallholder inclusion can drive inclusive growth. n— news from The World Economic Forum n
— News Original —nWhy Africa’s food economy needs innovation and diversificationn nPoultry is one of the fastest growing job creators in Africa, increasing youth market access to the food economy. n nA focus on diversifying and reducing the protein gap will depend on lowering costs and innovating in feed solutions to act on the quickest lever to strengthen Africa’s food economy. n nAfrica’s next 20 years will be shaped by how well the continent connects food system innovation, technology adoption and the energy of its young population. n nAcross Africa, smallholder farmers remain the backbone of food production and the key to meeting rising demand for affordable, nutritious protein. Nowhere is this more evident than in the poultry sector, where many farmers, especially women and young people, depend on predictable markets, quality inputs and supportive policies to grow their enterprises. n nPoultry is one of the fastest-growing job creators in rural Africa and offers young people real opportunities to build profitable enterprises, enter value added services and participate in a modern, tech-enabled food economy. n nThe next two decades in Africa will be shaped by how well the continent connects food system innovation, technology adoption and the energy of its young population. Poultry is one of the clearest examples of where these forces come together to drive real prosperity. n n“ n nIn the coming decade, innovations in feed technologies, digital advisory tools, climate-smart sourcing and regional market integration will shape how competitive African agriculture becomes and how many opportunities it creates for young agripreneurs. n n” n nAfrica’s long-term prosperity will come from food systems that are modern, tech-enabled, youth-powered and designed around smallholders who drive our continent’s growth. n nYet one constraint continues to define the pace and competitiveness of the poultry sector. n nFeed costs, which make up nearly 70% of production expenses, determine whether smallholders can produce profitably, whether micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can scale and whether countries can build stable poultry markets capable of meeting domestic and regional demand. n nAddressing systemic barriers n nLowering feed costs and improving its availability, as well as diversifying feed solutions, are the quickest levers Africa can pull to strengthen its poultry economy and unlock wider impact. n nThrough the Southern Africa Poultry Initiative, Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is working with governments in Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia and others to address these system-level barriers in a coordinated way. n nNational Poultry Delivery Labs are helping governments align policies, strengthen grain and feed supply chains and create predictable environments that encourage private investment. n nMalawi’s Delivery Lab is reducing bottlenecks in local feed manufacturing. Tanzania and Mozambique are refining their national poultry strategies to better align with regional priorities. n nIn Zambia, reforms and infrastructure upgrades are improving grain supply and the efficiency of the feed sector. These efforts show what becomes possible when countries shift from fragmented approaches to shared action. n nThese actions are not technical fixes in isolation. They represent a broader shift toward a more productive and technology-enabled food economy that can support millions of new jobs for a rapidly growing youth population. n nTechnology for Africa’s food economy n nIn the coming decade, innovations in feed technologies, digital advisory tools, climate-smart sourcing and regional market integration will shape how competitive African agriculture becomes and how many opportunities it creates for young agripreneurs. n nTo build on this momentum, a Poultry Feed Accelerator Challenge was launched by AGRA, building on the experience and network of the Food Innovation Hubs global initiative. This targeted effort aims to support MSMEs with practical solutions to lower feed costs and expand access for farmers. n nFrom improved formulation technologies to climate-smart ingredient sourcing, the challenge focuses on innovations that can scale quickly and directly improve farmer profitability. More affordable feed means more resilient smallholders, stronger youth-led enterprises and a more stable supply of affordable protein for African consumers. n n“ n nAfrica’s prosperity over the next 20 years will come from sectors that combine innovation, technology and youth-powered enterprise. n n” n nThe Poultry Futures Forum, held in November 2025, brought together governments, development partners, investors and industry leaders to accelerate national reforms, strengthen regional coordination and spotlight innovations that make poultry production more competitive for smallholders. n nThe momentum on poultry is growing and provides an opportunity to co-design the next phase of transformation. n nWhile poultry is our focus here, similar lessons are emerging in aquaculture as well. Through the efforts of the World Economic Forum’s Food Innovators Network, we are seeing how improvements in feed systems, value chain coordination and policy alignment can catalyze growth for small-scale fish producers. n nInitial efforts are emerging in Ghana through the development of a Blue Food Innovation Hub, focused on driving innovative solutions across feed, production and final products. n nBuilding resilience in protein systems n nInitial efforts are emerging in Ghana, focusing on driving innovative solutions across feed, production and product. The links between poultry and aquaculture, especially around feed costs and quality, highlight the broader opportunity to innovate and diversify Africa’s protein systems to build long-term resilience. n nMeaningful change requires solutions that reflect the realities of farmers and raise the opportunities for youth agripreneurs, complemented by predictable policies and investment climates that reward innovation. n nLeaders must prioritize innovations that reduce costs, support MSMEs that already serve extensive farmer networks and scale systems that protect production in a changing environment. n nAfrica’s prosperity over the next 20 years will come from sectors that combine innovation, technology and youth-powered enterprise. Poultry and blue foods are two of these sectors.