First Meeting of the IRC Enabler Working Group on Gender & Youth

On 21 November 2025, representatives of the CEA-FIRST and IRC Member institutions convened for a monumental meeting: the inaugural meeting of the IRC Enabler Working Group on Gender and Youth (eGYWG). Hosted online and convened by the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) and West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), the meeting marked a new chapter in how the IRC plans to embed gender and youth more intentionally across all of its work.

The meeting opened with inspiring remarks from Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong (Coordinator, Lead, AU-EU International Research Consortium on FNSSA), outlining the governance structure of the IRC, including a Council, General Assembly, Secretariat, and External Advisory Committee. The International Research Consortium (IRC) on FNSSA provides a structured platform for Africa-Europe collaboration, aligning research and innovation across six Functional Working Groups (FWGs) with the FNSSA 2027-2036 Roadmap. Although gender equity and youth inclusion are recognised as crosscutting priorities across these FWGs, a dedicated mechanism is needed to ensure they are consistently mainstreamed and monitored. The Enabler Working Group on Gender and Youth (eGYWG) fills this gap by serving as the Consortium’s seventh enabling pillar, providing leadership, capacity strengthening, and policy alignment to embed inclusivity across all IRC activities. Dr Annor-Frempong emphasised that the gender and youth enabler working group is presented as a must-win battle to confront these challenges and provide a strategic platform for linking science, innovation, policy, and business.

There was a thoughtful keynote presented on Positive Masculinity by Carole Fopah, a representative of the Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture and Agroecology in Africa (KCOA). Her submission threw light on how shifting social norms and engaging men as allies can help open space for more equitable participation in agricultural research, leadership, and decision-making.

A series of expert presentations followed, including insights from Genna Tesdall (YPARD), Dr. Mariame Maiga (CORAF), Dr. Mavis Akuffobea-Essifie (CSIR), and Kofi Kisiedu Acquaye (YPARD) and Dr. Karen Munoko. They highlighted the critical role of women and youth in agricultural research and innovation, and the need for investment in proven technologies that are gender-sensitive, youth-friendly, and climate-smart. Together, they stressed the need to strengthen mentorship, leadership development, and capacity building pathways for women, early career researchers, and young scientists is crucial. Some recommendations shared focussed on community engagement, stronger accountability, and structural reforms such as inclusive finance and equitable land rights.

Beyond the presentations, the meeting served as the official launch of the Gender and Youth Working Group, a platform designed to drive collaboration, coordination, and capacity strengthening across the IRC. Supported by the Horizon Europe CEA-FIRST project, the eGYWG will work with all IRC Functional Working Groups to ensure that gender and youth perspectives are integrated into research, policy, and implementation efforts.

Spotlight on Goodwill Messages

“Africa's food systems cannot be transformed without the full and meaningful inclusion and participation of gender- and that is to say women, youth, people with disabilities, refugees and other vulnerable or marginalized groups and communities. Their voices, talents and leadership are critical for driving innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusive growth in agriculture.” Esther Michaala, on behalf of the Executive Director, AFAAS.

“We need to leverage the expertise and resources from different organizations and partners… The IRC Enabler Working Group on Gender and Youth is not an end in itself. It should be able to achieve much more than if it never existed.” Julian Barungi, on behalf of the Executive Director of ASARECA.

“If we only see women and youth as victims of challenges such as climate change, we undermine their vast human and social capital. Gender disaggregation is not enough- we must look intersectionally at the underlying power structures that create and reproduce inequality.” Antti Autio, University of Helsinki.

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