Theme: Celebrating Youth Innovation, Leadership, and Impact in Agrifood Systems
The climax of the Kenya Youth Food Systems Summit 2026, recognizing outstanding youth-led food security solutions across Kenya. We combine public support with independent expert vetting.
Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya's economy, yet nearly 75% of young Kenyans under 35 face unemployment. Despite these challenges, youth are leading resilient transformations.
To celebrate these champions, the 2026 Awards offer visibility, capital, and mentorship to outstanding youth leaders, farmers, and entrepreneurs.
Custom-designed high-quality Trophy and Certificate of Excellence.
KES 100,000 financial support for category winners to scale their food system initiatives.
Premium media coverage, featured impact stories, and partner highlights.
Direct access to agribusiness incubation centers and leadership programs.
Winners highlighted and invited to national level agricultural policy roundtables.
Recognizing diverse, impactful efforts across different agricultural fields
Celebrates outstanding young farmers who demonstrate excellence in crop or livestock production.
Focus: Productivity, adoption of sustainable practices, and community impact.
Criteria: Yield improvements, climate-smart practices, leadership in local farming communities.
Honors youth-led initiatives advancing agroecology and climate resilience.
Focus: Sustainable land use, biodiversity conservation, and climate-smart agriculture.
Criteria: Environmental impact, innovation in climate adaptation, community engagement.
Recognizes youth who use digital platforms to advocate, educate, and inspire around agrifood issues.
Focus: Storytelling, awareness creation, and influence.
Criteria: Reach, creativity, accuracy of information, impact on public perception.
Celebrates rising leaders who demonstrate vision and influence in agrifood systems.
Focus: Leadership, advocacy, and mobilization of peers.
Criteria: Leadership qualities, policy engagement, mentorship activities.
Promotes inclusivity by recognizing youth with disabilities excelling in agrifood systems.
Focus: Overcoming barriers, innovation, and resilience.
Criteria: Impact, inclusivity, leadership, innovation despite challenges.
Recognizes youth contributions in agrifood research, academia, and knowledge generation.
Focus: Research excellence, innovation, and dissemination of knowledge.
Criteria: Quality of research, relevance to agrifood systems, practical application.
Honors youth from pastoralist communities advancing sustainable rangeland management.
Focus: Livestock management, rangeland conservation, and community resilience.
Criteria: Innovation in pastoral systems, impact on livelihoods, climate adaptation.
Celebrates youth leveraging technology to solve agrifood challenges.
Focus: Agri-tech solutions, digital platforms, and precision farming.
Criteria: Innovation, scalability, accessibility, measurable impact.
Celebrates women leaders driving transformation in agrifood systems.
Focus: Gender equity, leadership, and advocacy.
Criteria: Leadership impact, mentorship, inclusivity, policy influence.
Submit nominations strictly between 20th May and 20th June 2026.
Winners are determined through a balanced 50/50 process combining public engagement with professional expert jury vetting.
Audited online voting system. High safeguards against duplicates or manipulation (one verified email per vote).
Composed of 6 experts representing academia, government, civil society, private sector, and youth groups.
Originality in addressing agrifood challenges; use of new ideas, technologies, or approaches.
Demonstrable benefits to communities, livelihoods, environment, or food systems.
Ability to expand or replicate the initiative in other regions or contexts.
Long-term viability, climate-smart practices, and resilient systems.
Promotion of gender equality, disability inclusion, and marginalized group involvement.
Youth leadership, peer mobilization, policy engagement, and mentorship.
Strength of supporting documents, data, photos, or references.
Engagement for at least 1 year validated by local peers or institutions.
Follow the path of nomination and voting stages
Nominations submitted via the online portal, county dialogues, and partner organizations.
The organizing committee screens all applications. Top 10 per category proceed.
Shortlisted nominees profiled online and on social media for public voting.
Independent expert panel evaluates based on innovation, impact, and scalability.
Combined scores determine top 3 finalists per category announced publicly.
Winners revealed and celebrated live at the Summit Gala ceremony.
Support youth-led agrifood transformation and gain prime brand positioning
Category naming, seed grants, stage branding, livestream naming rights.
Trophies, certificates, branded materials (tote bags, files), jury facilitation.
Media & communications (photography, videography, press kits, campaigns).