Several (within African Union and European Union)
FARA
CORAF
EU Commision
The CEA-FIRST is a bicontinental effort put together to operationalise the International Research Consortium (IRC) as a long-term platform on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) in line with the FNSSA Roadmap of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD). This IRC is a member-based, multi-actor platform and will work towards increasing synergies and coherence while reducing fragmentation and duplication of research efforts. Its aim is to promote higher returns on investments and impact on business development in Africa and Europe, by linking actors, research and innovation projects, initiatives, and funding programmes.
The project brings together 21 partners from Europe and Africa, partly from the former LEAP4FNSSA, extended with new public and private network partners covering a wide range of expertise and stakeholders (research, NGOs, donors, extension workers, etc.) involved in the field of food and nutritional security and sustainable agriculture.
YPARD and West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), supported by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Ghana (CSIR), Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD) are leading the development of the CEA-FIRST/ IRC Gender and youth specific strategies ensure the CEA-FIRST project and the IRC work are youth and gender-sensitive.
In this unique platform which brings together Africa and Europe through research, YPARD is strategically positioned in the fight against the shared challenges that are caused by imbalances in the world– particularly those with the food and agricultural systems. We have the chance to emphasize the role of youth and gender in this work– through the strategy guiding meaningful youth and gender inclusion.
.jpg)
.png)
Agricultural research and innovation have historically been male-dominated, and youth participation in food systems has remained limited due to barriers like land access, financing, and decision-making structures. This strategy was created to address these gaps by ensuring that:
This Gender and Youth Strategy was built by CEA-FIRST consortium members under the co-leadership of YPARD (Young Professionals for Agricultural Development), FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), Agrinatura (The European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development) and CORAF (The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development ).
The Gender and Youth Working Group (GYWG) is a series of experience-sharing sessions aimed at strengthening the integration of gender and youth across research, innovation, governance, and policy processes.
These sessions form part of the operationalisation of the GYWG and will provide a platform for dialogue, learning, mentorship, and collaboration among researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and young professionals.
The sessions are designed to support institutional mainstreaming of gender and youth considerations, promote meaningful participation of women and youth in decision-making spaces, and strengthen capacity development pathways within the AU–EU research and innovation landscape. Participants will engage with practical tools, institutional experiences, and policy discussions that contribute to more inclusive and equitable agrifood systems transformation.
At the 9th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) and 10th FARA General Assembly held in July 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria, YPARD along with key partners launched the Gender and Youth Engagement Pledge Campaign, a collective call for institutions to move beyond declarations and demonstrate their commitment to gender equality and meaningful youth engagement through practical, measurable action.
Built around the message "One Institution. One Pledge. Lasting Impact.", the campaign invites every institution participating in AASW to make at least one practical commitment that advances the meaningful engagement of women and young people over the next twelve months. Participating institutions will also be invited to share their progress, helping build a growing community of practice committed to inclusive agrifood research and innovation across Africa.
Kofi Acquaye, Africa Regional Coordinator, YPARD, africa@ypard.net