Youth at the Center of East Africa’s AfCFTA and Common Market Opportunities

This policy brief examines how young agripreneurs in East Africa can benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the EAC Common Market by addressing barriers that limit youth participation in regional and continental trade.

With agriculture providing a major source of employment across Africa, the brief highlights the potential of young people to drive agrifood transformation, reduce dependence on food imports, create decent jobs and expand regional value chains.

It identifies key barriers facing youth agripreneurs, including limited access to finance, high compliance costs, complex trade procedures, inadequate market information and limited participation in trade policy processes.

The brief calls for youth-responsive finance, simplified trade procedures, stronger market access support, digital tools, capacity building and effective implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade and the EAC Common Market framework.

The resource provides practical policy insights for young agripreneurs, policymakers, farmer organisations, investors and other stakeholders seeking to expand youth participation in regional agrifood trade.