Photo credit: YPARD Kenya
Young people have much to share and influence about the future of food, as farmers and consumers and voices for their communities around the world. Capturing their insights and innovative views is critical to ensuring that decision-making about agrifood and development steer in the right direction. That is why the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), a global network of youth leaders focused on agricultural development, has launched a new Global Youth Engagement Survey that will inform its work with the Global Environment Facility’s food systems investments over the coming years.
If you're 35 or under and passionate about food systems, YPARD wants to hear from you – your voice will help shape the Youth Strategy for the GEF-8 Food Systems Integrated Program (FSIP), led by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The survey is open until June 29, and is available in English and Spanish.
YPARD and partners presenting the Rural Youth Manifesto at a side event in CBD COP16. Photo credit: YPARD GCU.
This is more than just a questionnaire — it’s a chance to influence how youth can be involved in the Food Systems Integrated Program. The survey looks at:
- Access to land, funding, and training
- What types of roles youth want in programs like FSIP
- Biggest challenges to getting involved
- What support young people need to lead change
This global survey is a tool for YPARD to understand and reflect on what youth need, how they want to be involved, and what barriers stand in their way when it comes to taking an active role in reshaping food systems. YPARD’s new Youth Strategy will suggest tangible ways of including youth on the ground in different country projects under the GEF-funded Integrated Program, opening doors to meaningful change.
Why is this important? From climate change to food insecurity, today’s global food systems face huge challenges — and youth are often hit the hardest. Yet young people are too often excluded from the policy rooms and programs meant to build a more sustainable, fair future. Furthermore, youth in food systems face a multitude of barriers to effective participation and engagement, especially in taking a leading role in reducing the environmental impacts of agrifood systems.
Ajuna Tadeo, YPARD Uganda Co-country Representative, with other participants at the FSIP Livestock CoP event in Uganda. Photo credit: YPARD Uganda
YPARD is working to change that. They don’t see young people as just beneficiaries of aid — but as collaborating partners who have a lot to offer. Real change happens when youth are included in project design and implementation phases, not simply as stakeholders on the receiving end. This survey aims to capture real stories, real struggles, and real ideas which can be translated into real seats at the table for youth.
The GEF’s Food Systems Integrated Program is an important avenue for this influence. It is designed to catalyze transformative change toward sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems, with an explicit recognition that meaningful change comes about by involving all stakeholders, including youth. YPARD has taken on the key role in ensuring that youth are included in the Integrated Program from its inception phase.
“The GEF's food systems agenda prioritizes integration, inclusion, and impact, highlighting the vital role of youth in the global coordination core team of the GEF-8 Food Systems Integrated Program,” said Peter Umunay, thematic lead for food systems and land use at the GEF. “Youth are not just the future; they are pivotal in the present, with their voices and actions being key to forging sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food futures.”
The Youth Engagement Survey and Youth Strategy Development are among the first and foundational activities of the Integrated Program’s global coordination project. The survey aims to assess current barriers, needs, attitudes, and demographics of the sampled youth in agrifood systems, specifically within the context of the Food Systems Integrated Program country projects and the global coordination project.
YPARD’s approach to understanding the barriers, needs, and aspirations of young people in agrifood systems is grounded in both its organizational experience as a global youth network and insights from current research.
Following the survey and country engagement process, YPARD will continue to support the Integrated Program with training and capacity building, and the development of indicators to monitor youth participation across its activities. These efforts will complement the survey and help build a long-term framework for youth engagement that is evidence-based, inclusive, and scalable.
This initiative underscores a critical message: youth are not only the future — they are also key actors and active stakeholders in the present. As large-scale initiatives like the Food Systems Integrated Program advance, creating meaningful, sustained pathways for youth engagement will be essential to building food systems that are not only resilient and sustainable, but also inclusive and just.
About YPARD
YPARD is a global network made by and for young people in agricultural development. It started in 2006 as a young researcher’s group, and has since then grown, evolved, and transformed – today it’s a dynamic global movement with over 65 national chapters and thousands of members. Its members are based all over the globe – from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean to Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe. Any young person below the age of 35 who is interested or involved in the agrifood systems can become a YPARD member of their national chapter.
YPARD members have diverse backgrounds and experiences: they are part-time farmers, teachers, students, agripreneurs, policy specialists, community leaders, researchers, or a combination of these. The network believes in walking the talk of genuinely putting young people in decision making roles: its coordinators, staff, and steering committee members are all young people.
Whether it’s mentoring young trainers in agroecological practices and leadership skills, providing practical workshops and training for sustainable agricultural practices, promoting agripreneurships to conserve native biodiversity species or offer rural grown nutrition options, or hosting agribusiness incubators, YPARD serves as a platform for young people to shape sustainable food systems through capacity building, knowledge exchange, and networking. It creates space for youth to be heard and supported as changemakers in their communities and beyond. YPARD is also active in the policy and advocacy space, providing training and mentorship to young leaders active in this space and contributes to development of policy papers. Members actively contribute to national policy dialogues, regional dialogues, UN processes, and more.
Participation in YPARD has been meaningful for its members and leaders.
"YPARD gives youth a voice. This has been my experience volunteering with YPARD as I have not only been empowered with capacity building training, but I have also been tasked with speaking on behalf of youth and being an ambassador for their concerns in several platforms,” said Akinbowale Showemimo, YPARD Nigeria country representative. “As a fish farmer myself, YPARD amplified my reach and impact, I have been linked with agricultural networks and training. As YPARD Nigeria country representative, I have also been heavily involved in the agricultural policy review of across several states in my country ensuring that youth voices were heard and ably represented."
YPARD Uganda members at a local farm in Kampala during their Farm Day Out workshop. Photo credit: YPARD Uganda
"Being part of YPARD Kenya has been an incredible journey of growth for me as a teacher and agripreneur,” said Jenice Achieng Audi, a country representative for YPARD Kenya. “YPARD has provided invaluable experiences, from fostering partnerships and advocating for policy change to attending conferences and winning fellowships like the Africa Food Fellowship Program. Leading mentorship programs and empowering youth in climate action has been especially rewarding. Participating in policy working groups and dialogues on agriculture and climate change has expanded my knowledge and influence. YPARD has transformed me into a confident leader and advocate for sustainable agriculture."
