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Who we are

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YPARD

YPARD is an international movement by Young Professionals FOR Young Professionals for Agricultural Development. YPARD operates as a network; it is not a formalized institution.

At the heart of YPARD as a movement are its members, who are encouraged to become active in their area, spread the news about YPARD to other young professionals, encourage a stronger voice of youth in their own organizations and share their views and ideas with other young professionals in the network.

This global on-line and off-line communication and discussion platform is meant to enable and empower young agricultural leaders around the world to shape sustainable food systems.

Vision

A food secure world without poverty where young people are enabled to fully contribute

Mission

Enabled and empowered young agricultural leaders shaping sustainable food systems.

Values
  • Teamwork: We create and nurture opportunities to unleash the potential of working together well
  • Respect: We celebrate and harness diverse opinions, ideas and perspectives
  • Sharing: We openly share what we have, recognizing it benefits us all
  • Love: We care and support each other and the planet
Strategic Aims 
  • To ensure long term sustainability of YPARD
  • To be a key influencer in the strategic direction of youth engagement in sustainable food systems

  • To enable young people in agriculture shape sustainable food systems

  • To be an innovative and supportive global team

Background
  • April 2005, EFARD in Zurich, Switzerland:  a small group of young scientists observes that an important policy debate was taking place, but with very little involvement of young scientists and decides to take action
  • July 2005, Rome, Italy: meeting between the group of young professionals and representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR), Bioversity International and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
  • December 2005, Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), Marrakech, Morocco : side event - roundtable with the topic: “How to Increase Young People's Involvement in Agricultural Research for Development (ARD)?”
  • March-June 2006, Bern, Switzerland:  meeting with SDC; initial funding proposal discussed and signed.
  • May-July 2006, Wageningen, The Netherlands & Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany: formulation of the vision, mission, objectives, governance structure and short and long-term activities for the platform and preparations for the official launch of YPARD.
  • 8th of November 2006, triennial conference of the GFAR, in New Delhi, India:  the Young Professional’s Platform for Agricultural Research for Development is officially launched during a side event
  • October 2008: First YPARD Charter created and validated by the official Steering Committee
  • 2009: First Business Planning workshop held
  • 2010: Creation of YPARD Asia and Africa regional units
  • 2011: Creation of the YPARD Latin America and the Carribean Regional Unit; Baseline study on mentoring and the launch of the pilot peer to peer mentoring program; YPARD representative elected to the executive council of FORAGRO
  • 2012: Release of a study on "Working towards a generation of new professionals in ARD" with skills and competencies needed by Young People in ARD; Creation of YPARD Europe Unit; Launching of the YPARD website; GCARD2 (The creation of youth sessions and the YPARD Social Media Team; YPARD representative elected to the steering committee of EFARD .
  • 2013: Partnership of YPARD in the Youth in Landscapes Project at the Global Landscapes Forum; YPARD representative elected to the GFAR steering committee; YPARD joins the GAP (Gender in Agriculture Partnership) TAP( Tropical Agriculture Platform) and the Foresight Hub.
  • 2014: YPARD changes its name and logo; 2014-2018 Business Plan developed; Contribution to the CGIAR's Dryland Systems research program (CRPs youth strategy, the first youth strategy among the CRPs) 
  • 2015: Launch of the YPARD pilot mentoring program
  • 2016: YPARD 10 year anniversary
  • 2018: YPARD strategic plan 2018 -2021 developed in Prague.
  • 2019: YPARD Charter revised