By Mariatou Ngum & Abdou Mbye

His Excellency Mohammed B.S. Jallow, Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, Friday, 17 July 2026 called for bold national investment in young people as the key drivers of the country’s agrifood transformation, urging stakeholders to move beyond dialogue and translate commitments into concrete actions that create jobs, strengthen food security and accelerate sustainable economic growth. Vice President Jallow made the call on Friday as he officially opened the Joint Youth–Parliamentary Retreat on Youth, Agrifood Systems Transformation and CAADP Implementation at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo under the theme: “National Leadership for Youth in Agrifood Systems.” The high-level retreat brought together parliamentarians, ministers, youth leaders, development partners, representatives of the African Union, AGRA, the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network (AFSPaN), the Consortium of African Youth in Agriculture and Climate Change (CAYACC), private sector actors and senior government officials to chart a common pathway for empowering young people within The Gambia’s agrifood systems. Delivering the keynote opening address on behalf of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, Vice President Jallow described the gathering as a strategic platform that reflects the country’s shared commitment to ensuring that young people become architects of national development rather than mere beneficiaries. “I extend warm greetings on behalf of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, the Government and the people of the Republic of The Gambia,” the Vice President said, while commending AGRA, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Agriculture, The Soil Solution, the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network, the African Union and all development partners for convening the retreat. He emphasized that The Gambia’s youthful population remains its greatest national asset, noting that the country’s future is inseparable from the aspirations, creativity and resilience of its young people. “The answer to youth unemployment lies not only in creating jobs but in transforming entire economic sectors capable of generating sustainable livelihoods, wealth and prosperity. Among these sectors, none is more critical than agriculture and the broader agrifood system,” he stated. Vice President Jallow stressed that agriculture must evolve beyond subsistence farming into a modern, technology-driven, climate-resilient and profitable sector capable of attracting young entrepreneurs and innovators. He explained that today’s agrifood systems extend far beyond cultivation, encompassing value addition, agro-processing, logistics, digital innovation, climate-smart technologies, agribusiness services, financing, research, marketing and regional trade—areas he said offer enormous opportunities for youth employment and enterprise development. The Vice President reaffirmed Government’s commitment to empowering young people through skills development, enterprise support, agricultural modernization and climate resilience, but stressed that genuine progress requires practical implementation backed by effective policies, adequate financing and responsive institutions. “This retreat provides a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between policy aspirations and the lived realities of our young people. It strengthens accountability and ensures that youth priorities are reflected in national decision-making processes,” he noted. Vice President Jallow further aligned The Gambia’s aspirations with the African Union’s Kampala CAADP Declaration and the Africa Agribusiness Youth Strategy, reaffirming the country’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to the continent’s vision for youth-led agricultural transformation. He underscored that Africa’s future competitiveness and food security depend largely on how effectively governments empower the next generation of farmers, processors, innovators and investors. Calling for collective action, the Vice President urged Parliament to strengthen legislative oversight and policy support for youth and agriculture, while encouraging government institutions to enhance coordination in implementing youth-focused programmes. He also appealed to development partners to continue supporting innovative initiatives that expand opportunities for young people and challenged the private sector to invest boldly in youth-led agribusiness enterprises. Addressing the country’s youth directly, Vice President Jallow encouraged them to remain ambitious, innovative and determined in pursuing opportunities that contribute to national development. “The history of nations is shaped by those who dare to invest in their future. Today, our future stands before us in the form of our young people,” he declared. “When we invest in youth, we invest in productivity, food security, innovation, peace, stability and prosperity. And when we invest in youth-led agrifood systems, we invest in a stronger and more resilient Gambia.” The Vice President expressed hope that the retreat would mark the beginning of a new era of partnership between policymakers and young people, inspiring practical solutions that create decent jobs, unlock enterprise opportunities and position agriculture as a sector of choice for future generations. He officially declared the Joint Youth–Parliamentary Retreat on Youth, Agrifood Systems Transformation and CAADP Implementation open and wished par ticipants fruitful deliberations aimed at shaping a more productive, inclusive and sustainable agrifood system for The Gambia.