Moving forward to a new chapter of cooperation: YPARD and IAAS

 Do you believe that “we are stronger when we work together”? We, YPARD and IAAS, believe so. Cooperation is the key to moving forwards in encouraging youth engagement in agricultural development.

With the aim at strengthening the long-established cooperation of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) and the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS), on 4^th April 2017, YPARD Europe coordinator  Libuška Valešová, together with Stacy Hammond the YPARD youth leader communications officer, attended the IAAS Exchange Coordinators Meeting (ExCo) 2017 in Vienna, Austria. Apart from presenting YPARD’s network to the IAAS General Assembly, they also discussed with IAAS on ways to boost the mutual collaboration on a national and global level as well as sketch upcoming plans of partnership.

A matching list for cooperation on a national level between YPARD country chapters and IAAS national committees

The discussion between YPARD Europe and Constantine Safaris - IAAS Vice President of Eternal Relations, Kyrill Sattlberger - IAAS External Relations Board Member was mainly focused on the strategic plan of generating the matching list between IAAS national committees in approximately 50 countries and 67 YPARD country chapters. The list will be created by the global leading teams of IAAS and YPARD. Once the list is developed with its objective and potential use, it will subsequently be handed down to be used by both IAAS national committees and YPARD country chapters in each nation. This project was not only discussed but was also presented at the event by Kyrill Sattlberger to the IAAS General Assembly who was all on board and supported the course of action.

 Using the matching list to connect both IAAS and  YPARD country chapters on a global scale can also boost the start of new IAAS national chapters and vice versa in areas where they don’t currently exist. We are so excited about the foreseeable results that the matching list can bring in supporting collaborating activities of YPARD and IAAS as well as extending their networks.

Upcoming collaborations between YPARD Europe and IAAS

Moreover, YPARD Europe also offered IAAS to host the next International Conference of Youth in Agriculture (ICYA) 2018 at the Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS) which is the hosting institution of YPARD Europe. Organized by IAAS, ICYA conference brings young professionals in agriculture worldwide together to participate in soft skills, training, lectures, and debates on six main topics of Refugee Crisis, Women in Agriculture, Food Waste, Village Concept Project, Urban Farming, New Agri–Generation. It will take more work to finalize a specific plan for hosting ICYA 2018. However, we are looking forwards to bringing the ICYA to the Czech Republic.

Based on the successful collaboration of YPARD and IAAS Austria in co-organizing the workshop at the Tropentag conference 2016 in Vienna, YPARD Europe also used the space at the ExCo meeting to  discuss with IAAS Germany/Bonn on collaboration in a joint workshop at the next Tropentag conference 2017 taking place from 20^th to 22^nd September in Bonn, Germany. The workshop’s topic was discussed with IAAS Bonn representatives  Jason Hayer, Marion Pitz and Paulina who were all on board in working together to carry out a new exciting workshop at the conference. This year the workshop’s theme will focus on the active participation of youth in agriculture and will be finally shaped together with YPARD country representatives, IAAS Bonn working team and the YPARD Europe coordinator.

We stay firmly on the belief that “we are stronger when we work together”. The further cooperation between YPARD Europe and IAAS will certainly bring more effective activities and interesting events to connect the youth in agriculture and will contribute to letting them reach their full potential in the agricultural sectors.

Picture credit: Kyrill Sattlberger, IAAS External Relations Board Member