Time for new beginnings in YPARD Brazil

“For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. To make an end is to make a beginning." T.S. Eliot

More than a year has passed since I asked Courtney Paisley, YPARD director, to be the very first YPARD representative in Brazil. At the time, I was still amazed by the fact that one of the largest agricultural countries in the world did not have a country representative yet in this network.

Words like “innovation”, “youth”, “opportunity”, “responsibility”, amongst others started coming to my mind. “This is going to be quite a journey”, I thought, and I felt glad to be part of it. The excitement of being YPARD first leader in my home country gave me hope to discover who I really was. Or at least, to find out what I wanted to become.

Surrounded by great and knowledgeable people (Courtney, Marina, Amelia, Ligiane, Gabriel, Giovanna and Leisy), helped me out not only in growing up fast and learn a lot but also in realizing we cannot develop alone. Surely, success depends on our own efforts, but it is also a result of other helping hands, ready to go with you side-by-side in an uncommon road. I am grateful I could experience this during my time working with YPARD. You guys are awesome!

Therefore, with all the help of brilliant people, YPARD Brazil accomplished a variety of activities during 2013 and 2014. We had our first event in the country on “Networking”, we identified some great Brazilian showcases (Jefferson and Jordan), we edited YPARD official materials in Portuguese and we talked about the role of the youth to face the agricultural development challenges in my tropical land.

Nevertheless, we have many other obstacles to overcome and people to reach. So much work still has to be done in order to show young professionals in Brazil the opportunities of the amazing agricultural sector. Opportunities not only for jobs, but also for economic growth, for human development, for a sustainable future, for a zero-hunger world.

It is time for me to concentrate on my professional career and pass the baton of leading YPARD Brazil to the next country representative, Gustavo Togeiro de Alckmin.I am sure that the future YPARD Brazil representative will lead us ahead with a greater vision.

Let´s all continue “to the infinite and beyond”!

Best,

Rebeca

Picture credit: Goodbye, by Penny Mathews.