Connecting for agricultural efficiency start with understanding the inter-relationship of youth, ICT and agriculture in the present world. Agriculture has a glaring picture in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the small scale farmers and youths constitute part of the stakeholders to achieve these goals. In Nigeria, smallholder farmers constitute the larger percentage of disadvantaged people in terms of productivity, literacy... More

My grand parents still living in a rural area called Zaouit Sidi Hamza, this one of many marginalized areas in the regions of Midelt city, which is located in the center south of Morocco,every year I used to visit them and I touch their suffering in their livelihood. All the people especially the youth there complain about the indifference that they... More

On the occasion of the international symposium: The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition, a special interactive youth session was co-organized by Office of Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development (OPC) of FAO and YPARD : the “Young Professionals for Agricultural Development” network. Seven universities from around the world grasped the chance to follow and contribute the symposium... More

Marlene Heeb is YPARD’s focal point at SDC - Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation: a key support of YPARD from its beginnings. At the occasion of YPARD’s 10 year anniversary, Marlene reflects on YPARD’s vision and what it means for SDC to “invest in the youth” for agricultural development. Who is the youth? When I joined the SDC Global Program Food... More

Agriculture, is an ancient sector in Africa and has been the major source of livelihood in most African countries. Africa is also known to have enormous natural resources such as forests, birds, fish, lakes and rivers and land. However, the “land of plenty” is struck with food and nutrition insecurity, famine, poverty and unemployment.  Worse still, African Agriculture is dominated by... More

If you are young and in the agricultural sector, and more especially if you have dedicated several years of your life to study agriculture, every so often you will be asked by curious people the reason behind your career choice. Ever since I decided to study agriculture, I have been asked hundreds of times why agriculture? You could do better? But... More

A vast number of food systems are included in a path from producing in farm to consumption in plate. In recent years, as a result of access to modern technologies, the food systems have been changed. 100 years ago, all of foods were organic and distributed in local markets, but nowadays most of them are grown in chemical ecosystems for sale... More

“There is no lasting peace without jobs. Decent jobs are necessary for a just society and a sustainable route out of poverty.” Mpenga Kabundi, Retired – Deputy Regional Director, Africa. Indeed, the world, especially the youth need more decent jobs. When Agriculture is taken as a business, it becomes attractive to the youth, and they utilize their potential to venture into... More

How can production be effective without the appropriate technical know-how? How can I win the heart of my consumers with my products when I don’t understand what they really need? How can I continue production when I have not sold out what I have already produced? How can production be complete when the products have not reached the final consumers? These... More

I have been a member of the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) since its inception due to a shared conviction that a more sustainable and innovative agricultural sector is one that truly incorporates views of youth and involves them in developing its future. Although I have been involved in some YPARD related activities in my own subtle ways, now more... More

Guess what?  Opportunities are present for the youth to be engaged in Agriculture! An event called Global Conference on Agricultural Research and Development (GCARD) will be taking place at Johannesburg, South Africa. It aims to greatly involve the youth to participate in the improvement of agriculture and innovation on food production systems to attain global food security; steps towards achieving Sustainable... More

Can you imagine a time when youth from rural areas will be able to solve agricultural problem with a mouse click. What if I said that every TV network, movie, blog, book, and other forms of social media use this same tactic? Better yet, what if I showed you how to leverage this tactic to attract more subscribers and earn more... More

Lazy, non-committal and irrational is how a smallholder farmer is defined by many. They always languish and commit themselves into poverty.  Anybody who grew up in the rural area this description is the most wild, obsolete and inaccurate accusation to a smallholder farmer. Smallholder farmers are passionate, energetic and hardworking in their farming activities. They spend most of their time and... More

I am the Program Manager of Africa Farming Students’ Association where we motivate, educate and inspire enthusiastic students to pursue careers in agriculture and we provide them with about 90% hands-on learning experience. I am an active member of Young Professional for Agricultural Development (YPARD), All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN). I believe in our youths... More

How has the internet affected you and your relationship with global agriculture? What has your generation done with the abundance of knowledge and resulting options it provides? Not as much as mine… as a 21 year old male living in the United States of America I’m a “millennial”. We are the largest, most diverse generation in the U.S, we value human... More

Have you ever think to stop eating? Do you believe there will always be food supply enough? We have to know on 2050 human population will increase up to 9 billion people. All of them need food for stay living. Whereas in fact, there are only 570 million farmers, only can produced 2 million ton of grains each year. So they... More

As a young expert for Agriculture I am very interesting to participate in this event, it will be for me also useful to meet there youth and experts from different countries and share knowledge about innovation and agriculture. In this event I would have chance to or to show my ideas about our projects or events as youth and as member... More

Why youth do not participate in decision-making process to structure the future where they are going to leave, work and develop their careers? Why someone else has to decide for them? Is there any reason for which the specialization which is absolutely crucial for the humankind, like agriculture is considered like not prestigious one in most parts of the world? Is... More

Pick me… Pick me… Pick me… so says the oranges that makes the yummy, refreshing and enticing fruit juices we all love and savour for. But do we ever think about what makes the oranges to be? Am sure many would say, well…no. Then I frown and look back to that aged man or woman who tills day and night, always... More

It is no secret that there is a problem in Agriculture, today; there is the case of the aging farmer and the lack of youth involvement in the sector. When this is married to the steadily increasing global population and need for increased food supply, one can understand why this is a problem.  For years on end we have conducted research,... More