Leapfrogging isn’t a slogan - it’s a strategy. It’s how Africa can protect public health, safeguard trade, and build trust in its food systems. Happy weekend!. #BigData | #IoT | #FoodSafety | #FoodSystems.

Yes, connectivity and data gaps are challenges. But these same constraints mean we can design fit-for-purpose systems from day one - without being tied to slow, outdated infrastructure.

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· Innovate for the informal sector, which handles a major share of Africa’s food. This means setting a minimum threshold of informality that still supports transparency and traceability - ensuring small vendors and local markets are part of the safety net, not outside it.

· Collaborate regionally to share data and intelligence across borders.

For #Africa, the stakes are higher - but so is the potential to leapfrog:. · Skip legacy systems and build digital-native, mobile-first early warning tools. · Automate and scale monitoring through machine learning and low-cost sensors.

Globally, systems are being built that pull in numerous, diverse, real-time data streams - weather, trade flows, market anomalies, satellite imagery - to trigger early warnings before food safety incidents spiral.

The good news? #AI, big data, and the Internet of Things are unlocking the ability to detect and act on threats in real time.

#ClimateChange is accelerating the emergence of food safety risks - from harmful algal blooms that threaten seafood to fungal growth and mycotoxins in staple crops. These risks are no longer seasonal - they’re dynamic, cross-border, and fast-moving.

#FridayGratitude: Food Safety. Food safety is a right. So, Africa can’t afford to play catch-up on food safety. It’s time to leapfrog. A recent comprehensive review by Mu et al., is spot on. 🎧:

This is how global goals become local reality: when young people see their space, claim it, and are empowered to deliver. Happy International Youth Day. #IYD2025 | #InternationalYouthDay | #InternationalYouthDay2025 | #YouthDay.

5. Include youth in governance - Seats for youth leaders on local steering committees and procurement boards. What I love about IITA is that youth aren’t just a program - they’re woven into our #DNA.

3. Back place-specific solutions - Micro-grants to test ideas rooted in local realities, with quick feedback loops. 4. Open the data - Share community-level dashboards so youth can track progress and demand accountability.

1. Co-design local plans - Youth advisory councils with a voice in community budgets and project priorities. 2. Fund real roles - Paid fellowships and contracts for implementation, monitoring, and community storytelling.

· In my lab, interns bring fresh ideas, challenge my thinking, and remind me that mentorship is a two-way street. Here’s what I’ve learned about making youth central to local SDG delivery—not just guests at the table:.

· The first person who taught me about circularity was a young woman in #Nairobi, using black soldier flies to turn waste into feed. · At #CGIARScienceWeek, I met young leaders producing food, advancing food justice, and fighting hunger in their own communities.

From #HealthSystems to agrifood systems and climate resilience, most SDG targets require local decisions and action - and young people are already making them happen.

#TuesdayTip: Youth aren’t just the future - they’re driving change now. Today is International Youth Day!. The 2025 theme - Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond - reminds us that big promises only matter when they work in neighbourhoods, markets, farms, schools, and labs.

Child #malnutrition is preventable. Every missed target means millions of children denied the chance to thrive. It is time to make our data ecosystem fit for purpose. 🔗:

What needs to change now:. · Invest in national data systems. · Accelerate proven nutrition interventions. · Strengthen accountability for results.

The barriers are not just technical. Gaps in data collection make it impossible to track progress in many countries. Without regular, high-quality data, we are navigating blind.