How African youth are shaping land rights and the SDGs
Across Africa, young people are increasingly taking the lead in shaping conversations around land rights and sustainable development. This momentum was evident during a recent Youth and Land Rights Webinar in commemoration of the International Youth Day - 2025, organized by the Youth and Land Multi-stakeholder Platform in Africa (YLMPA), which brought together dynamic voices from across the continent to discuss challenges, opportunities, and collective actions for advancing land rights within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Why youth land rights matter
Land is more than soil beneath our feet; it is the foundation for food security, climate resilience, and economic growth. Yet, African youth face significant barriers in accessing and governing land, from restrictive customary practices to financial exclusion and gender inequality
This reality underscores why land rights must be at the center of Africa’s development agenda and why youth participation is indispensable.
Youth voices driving change
Speakers from diverse contexts shared their experiences and recommendations. Gugulethu Mahlangu, a South African agripreneur, highlighted how access to land could empower youth and women to drive SDG implementation:
Even small-scale agricultural projects can prove land’s potential and attract investment. Youth must be part of policy spaces like Yango to influence the decisions that affect their futures.
From Liberia, Yidamno-Antonio emphasized the urgency of youth engagement, noting that more than 70% of Liberia’s population is young. He described how Community Land Development Management Committees are helping to implement the 2018 Land Rights Act, while also calling for stronger support:
Youth need training in agroecology, access to credit facilities, and land investment funds if we are to play our part in achieving the SDGs.
Meanwhile, gender equality featured prominently in the discussions. Participants stressed the need for bridging gender gaps in land ownership and governance. As Mary Maneno from the International Land Coalition’s Regional Coordination Unit noted:
We must ensure our messages are advanced in advocacy spaces like the Africa Climate Summit, Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) and COP 30; always centering women and youth in land governance.
Investing in youth leadership
One of the highlights of the webinar was the introduction of the ILC Youth Fellowship Program, which provides funding of up to $3,000 for young leaders to design and implement projects in their communities. As Miriane, who presented the program, explained:
This fellowship is about more than funding; it’s about training, mentorship, and connecting youth across Africa who are working to transform land governance.
By supporting youth-led solutions, the fellowship reflects a broader recognition that young Africans are not just beneficiaries but changemakers in the land sector.
Looking ahead: Next steps
The session closed with practical recommendations for moving forward:
Platform members
will showcase regional experiences, promote indigenous knowledge systems, and strengthen intra-African trade opportunities linked to youth land initiatives.
Youth participants
committed to setting time-bound targets for agricultural projects to demonstrate productivity and unlock financing opportunities.
Agricultural government allocations for the youth
There was also a call to advocate for governments to allocate at least 10% of national budgets to agriculture, in line with long-standing commitments.
A call to action
Africa’s youth are not waiting on the sidelines, they are already shaping the continent’s future through innovation, leadership, and advocacy. But their efforts need recognition, investment, and political will to thrive.
As the discussions reminded us, youth land rights are not a side issue: they are central to achieving the SDGs and realizing Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The youth platform invites all partners; governments, civil society, and international organizations, to join hands in amplifying youth voices, securing land rights, and building a future where every young person has the means to thrive on the land they call home.
About the Youth and Land Multi-stakeholder Platform in Africa (YLMPA)
The youth platform was established in 2022 to amplify the voices of young people in land governance and ensure their active participation in shaping Africa’s future within the Africa region, ILC network and beyond. The platform brings together youth-led organizations, networks, and allies working to advance land rights, gender equality, and sustainable development across the continent. Through dialogue, advocacy, and collaboration, it serves as a space for youth to connect, share experiences, and influence land rights policies at local, national, and global levels.
