Welcoming YPARD LAC coordinator: Gipsy Bocanegra

We are delighted to welcome our new YPARD LAC coordinator: Gipsy Bocanegra.

Gipsy is Economist. Besides being specialized in public policy and international business, she was awarded by the Colombian Institute for Education Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX, for its Spanish acronym) in 2013 for receiving a top score in the State learning ‘SABER-PRO’ test, which is a graduation requirement.

During her bachelor, Gipsy worked with the group Environmental Management College in Conservation & Environmental Protection of the sub- basin of the Pance River in the department of Cauca Valley, Colombia. She also served as an election observer volunteer with the Election Observation Mission (EOM) during the elections processes for mayors, governors, congress and presidency of Colombia, in favour of good democratic practices.

Likewise, she worked with the Icesi University’s Centre for Public Policy, following the progress and results of the main policies on land use and public resources in the department of Valle to promote science, technology and innovation. During the last two years of her university studies, Gipsy was a research and a teaching assistant in the Economics department. Indeed, she keeps her passion for Academia by teaching methodologies of research in economics and information economics areas.

A year ago, our new YPARD LAC coordinator joined the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Palmira, Colombia. Ever since she has been working as a visiting researcher in the Decision and Policy Analysis Area (DAPA), as well as in the Linking Farmers to Markets (LFM) program, specifically in "Public policies on linking farmers to markets in Colombia and the Latin American region: Less poor and more competitive farmers."

Being YPARD LAC coordinator represents a new challenge for Gipsy in order for the youth to contribute to a transforming agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This year's work in the areas of agricultural economics has given me a clearer perspective of the importance of this sector for the development of any country. I used to conceive my professional contribution to society from a more private approach, but after my experience in CIAT my interests have changed.

Now I understand that agriculture is the very first step in economy and that many other industrial and economic activities depend on its strengthening and care. Colombia’s economy still has a strong dependence on its primary sector, hence we must work towards empowering our field in order to be competitive and grow amid an atmosphere of increased commercialization and global integration.

I want to work within YPARD to further stimulate youth interest in environment and agricultural issues, as well as to promote the platform’s strategies and services so that the information will reach more young people in the Latin American and the Caribbean region and thus will lead initiatives and projects in the agricultural sector. It is certainly an exciting and unique opportunity to work with this platform, which I hope to make the best of it.”

We thank Andrea Carvajal, former coordinator for LAC, for her hard work with us.

Welcome on Board, Gipsy & let’s bring a stronger YPARD LAC!

If you want to get involved in YPARD LAC activities, please contact Gipsy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..