Building Women- and Youth-led networks in Africa: Launch of the BWYNAAO Programme by GIZ, YPARD, KCOA, PELUM Kenya, and AGSN

Berlin, 13 August: The Building Women & Youth-led Network Alliances for Agroecology and Organic Agriculture Program (BWYNAAO), supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), is set to officially launch in September, 2025. 

The BWYNAAO Programme empowers women- and youth-led networks in Africa by providing resources, mentorship, fellowships, and training to advance agroecology and organic agriculture. The four key networks implementing the programme include Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), the Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture and Agroecology (KCOA), Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Kenya, and the African Green Store Network (AGSN). The project kicked off in July 2025 and is expected to run until December 2026.

The official launch of the programme will take place from 15th-17th September 2025 in Entebbe, Uganda. The public launch will be held on 17th September 2025, and will be live-streamed for virtual participation. 

Participants interested in joining online can register via this Zoom Registration Link. 

Programme Overview

To move beyond duplication of efforts and programmatic isolation, the BWYNAAO Programme will focus on intentional collaboration by building stronger alliances between existing multi-stakeholder women- and youth-led networks. The programme raises awareness and builds capacity for sustainable agrifood systems in Africa. Focus on women and youth will unlock the programme’s impact by equipping changemakers with practical skills for knowledge exchange and market linkages. Facilitating access to green jobs and entrepreneurship, leadership  skill-building will be key priorities, along with strengthening networking and partnerships. Active promotion of partner networks and their existing programmes will be carried out to prevent programmatic isolation- for instance, PELUM Kenya’s African Women Leaders in Agroecology (AWOLA) and the Youth in Agroecology Business Learning Track (YALTA), and YPARD’s Cafes and Farm Day Outs. Knowledge management through co-creation and storytelling will also be emphasized throughout the programme. 
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Objectives of the Programme

• Advocacy: To increase awareness of, perception of, and interest in agroecology, organic agriculture, and agrifood systems, especially amongst women and youth.
• Capacity Building: To strengthen the capacity of young agrifood systems professionals in agroecology and organic agriculture practices and knowledge exchange, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and market linkages, especially amongst young women and youth. 
• Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development: To boost self-confidence and improve professional skills of youth and female agrifood systems professionals, enabling them to take on leadership and entrepreneurial roles.
• Networking and Linkages: To broaden awareness of the benefits of networks, especially the KCOA network, PELUM Kenya, CPF/AGSN, and YPARD, resulting in increased participation, peer learning, and collaboration.
• Knowledge Management: To support youth-led innovation and knowledge exchange by creating spaces for experimentation, storytelling, and co-creation within agroecology and organic agriculture.
• Entrepreneurship and Market Development: To facilitate access to decent employment and green entrepreneurship opportunities in agroecology and organic agriculture, contributing to rural transformation and youth retention in agriculture.
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Programme activities 

The activities and outputs of the BWYNAAO Program are connected to the objectives laid out above. These include:

• Awareness raising and knowledge building through new and existing case studies, interviews, infographics, and media products;
• Building entrepreneurial skills through internships, fellowships, and mentorship.
• Dedicated capacity building of women leaders from the AWOLA Cohort 3 through training and mentorship;
• Initiating and developing business linkages and partnerships between the YALTA youth and key sector players like banks, SACCOs, cooperatives, and development partners;
• Promotion of the YALTA Story Map platform;
• Peer-to-peer learning exchanges and knowledge generation between regions through YPARD Global Cafes;
• Practical, hands-on training through YPARD National Cafes and Farm Visits.
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Towards Transformative Agroecology

The BWYNAAO Programme represents a transformative initiative that addresses the pressing need for collaboration, inclusion, and sustainability within Africa’s agrifood systems. By prioritizing women and youth, the program not only builds critical capacity in agroecology and organic agriculture but also strengthens leadership, entrepreneurship, and network linkages. Through strategic partnerships with established platforms such as AWOLA, YALTA, and YPARD. BWYNAAO creates synergies that enhance knowledge exchange, promote green jobs, and support rural transformation. With a strong focus on co-creation, storytelling, and practical engagement, the program paves the way for a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient agricultural future in Africa.

For more information, contact tadeo.ajuna@ypard.net or ednah.kukundakwe@ypard.net