We are delighted to welcome Amelia Ochoa as YPARD Web and Communications Officer. Amelia is joining YPARD Global Coordination Unit for a period of 6 months. Amelia has a background in Audiovisual Communications and Hispanic Philology, from the University of Navarra, Spain. In 2010, she contributed to a Project on Mass media and NGO crisis as a researcher. They analysed the... Continue reading

The United Nations declared 2014 to be the International Year of Family Farming. In this context the first AGRINATURA Science Days brought together scientists, international scholars, private sector and youth in Vienna between May 5–8 for an exciting event titled: “Growing together - Family Farming and agricultural sciences transforming world food systems”. The objective of AGRINATURA Science Days was to unite researchers and practitioners... Continue reading

Deadline: 25 May 2014 Farming First! - That’s the name of a coalition of over 130 organisations. The coalition articulates actions towards sustainable agricultural development worldwide. It gathers multi-stakeholder representatives: world’s farmers, scientists, engineers and industry as well as agricultural development organisations. With one shared voice, Farming First highlights the importance of improving farmers’ livelihoods and agriculture’s potential contribution to global... Continue reading

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) published recently its Youth Strategy Plan from 2013 to 2017. After more than 15 years supporting and promoting youth engagement in agriculture, CTA has launched this strategy in order to boost the crucial role of young people in agriculture and rural development (ARD) to develop and modernise the sector. 70% of Africa’s... Continue reading

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) published recently its Youth Strategy Plan from 2013 to 2017. After more than 15 years supporting and promoting youth engagement in agriculture, CTA has launched this strategy in order to boost the crucial role of young people in agriculture and rural development (ARD) to develop and modernise the sector. 70% of Africa’s... Continue reading

Africa’s agriculture potential is staggering. The region has about 60 percent of the world’s uncultivable arable land. Some 50 years ago, it was a net exporter of agriculture produce. These potentials have helped foster economic growth and sustained livelihoods. But the trend has changed. In a dramatic turn-around, Africa today imports more food than it produces to feed itself. Agricultural exports... Continue reading

Not sure the five selected youth moderators for the ForestsAsia Summit’s Youth Session were expecting such an important role when applying. They are thoroughly preparing the event, with putting together discussions topics and pertinent questions; they moderate e-discussions, and design tailored facilitation methods and tools for the session’s round-tables. Isn’t it what it takes to lead relevant collective solutions and bring... Continue reading

It is clear that major development policies in developing countries pay little or no attention to food insecurity and undernutrition. Food insecurity and undernutrition are low on priority list of most countries particularly in Africa. But the costs of food insecurity and undernutrition are staggering. Food insecurity and undernutrition threaten human survival. The 2012 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report : ‘The State... Continue reading

AGRINATURA Science Days will be held in Vienna, on 5 - 8 May 2014.The discussions will focus on how alliances between small-scale family farming and agricultural sciences can transform local and global food systems in ways that ensure food and nutrition security at all levels. I am invited to contribute as a panel discussant to bring a youth perspective, on behalf... Continue reading

Many women around the world dream of running to office so that they can help build a better future, not only for themselves and their families, but for all people in their country. Every women has a deep humanity and the will to be part of the change; we carry within us a core craving to add value and bring peace... Continue reading

Lengthy presentations are a tired conference format. To come to concrete and effective solutions, we need lively and focused discussions with people of different views. But lively discussions need a glue to hold them together. And that glue is a moderator. What is a facilitator? It is the facilitator who sets the context, drives the discussion, and engages the audience in... Continue reading

The end of 2013 and beginning of 2014 has been a milestone in the development of YPARD.  Many strategic events have been shaping the organization, from the external review of late 2013, to the strategic planning meeting in early January and the update of the charter.  The YPARD Business Plan 2014-2018 was developed based on the outcomes of the strategic meeting... Continue reading

The YPARD India working group was formally constituted in November 2013. The group is an interesting mix of globetrotting academics, researchers, development professionals and students. The group consists of 15 members from various states and agricultural universities of India. The profiles of all members can be found on YPARD and the purpose of this post is to give a short introduction... Continue reading

Africa is a net importer of food, spending more than $20 billion each year on food imports. As the African population continues to grow and urbanize at a fast rate, African agriculture and related value chains will be required to grow and evolve quickly. Addressing these problems calls for various initiatives; spanning macro-economic policy, improvements and access to technologies that can... Continue reading

YPARD Iran has worked with Kimiyaye Sabz NGO since April 2013. We have contributed to Eco- friendly Agriculture group of Kimiyaye Sabz NGO in Markazi province (a province in center of Iran). This office has held special English workshop about agriculture and environment for students and graduated persons in these fields. Indeed language barrier was identified as a limitation in Iran... Continue reading

The Dryland Systems Research Program of the CGIAR published recently their gender strategy with a strong Youth component. The CGIAR has shown a strong support to the youth on many occasions, through post-doc programs, youth participation support at key events, capacity building opportunities and other activities. This strategy, at a research programme level, is bringing a strong strategic backbone to these... Continue reading

“I have been raising pigs for five years with my parents just like any other ordinary farmer in Malawi, but my four years of undergraduate education has fuelled my interest in pig business; I am going commercial”, William Chimtenga, a passionate young final year student and agro-entrepreneur at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) said.  This is one of the... Continue reading

"The first thing I think about is NOT Money." Pape Samb Pape knows what he talks about; he played a key role in the receiving of IFAD grant of US$1.95million to create opportunities for rural youth in West and Central Africa. Pape Samb is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GYIN, the Global Youth Innovation Network, a platform of... Continue reading

First time in Nepal, first day of January 2014 (17th Poush, 2070BS) was declared as National Poultry Day. This day's grand celebration was made jointly by farmers, hatchery entrepreneurs, veterinarians, agriculturalists, government service officers and people involving in poultry farming from different parts of Nepal in my own hometown, Chitwan district, on the chairmanship of Mr. Guna Chandra Bista (First Nepali... Continue reading

The people of Mureed Shakh are quite illiterate; most of the farmers were unaware of the technology and mass productivity of crops. The production of sugarcane they are cultivating is 50% less than what can be done with new technologies. When we visited and observed farmers of Mureed Shakh, they were farming sugarcane in majority, but they were not aware about how... Continue reading