We are delighted to share with you this revamped version of our newsletter! Many changes have occurred at YPARD this past year, and we want to share with you a snippet of what we have been up to. Happy reading!
From the director's desk
The first four months in office have flown by. I already feel YPARD has been my home for much longer than these few short months. My heart is still with all of you who are experiencing challenges due to COVID-19, but also countless other natural and political disasters which are sweeping the world. YPARD is here to show solidarity and to be a network for making the world a better place...Read more.
Genna Tesdall, Director
Genna Tesdall (she/her) is an agriculture systems thinker taking on projects to sustain the environment and people, now as the incoming director of YPARD. She strives to be a servant-leader in order to foster equality between generations (and all delimiters of privilege). Before joining YPARD, she was the federal agricultural policy officer at the German Rural Youth Association (Bund der Deutschen Landjugend) (2020). As a Fulbright Researcher at the Humboldt University of Berlin (2018-19), she focused on youth involvement in agricultural policy, and was the former president (2013-14) of the International Association of Agriculture and Related Sciences Students (IAAS). She is a graduate of the global oriented Iowa State (2015) and Penn State Universities (2018) with a M.Sc. in Plant Pathology and International Agriculture and Development. Contact: Genna.tesdall@ypard.net
Glindys Virginia Luciano, Network Engagement Coordinator
Glindys Virginia Luciano (GVL) is an interdisciplinary food-systems scientist and the current Network Engagement Coordinator for Young Professionals in Agricultural Development (YPARD). Glindys Virginia is driven to be a food systems and climate action leader and believes the first step to change is evaluating our individual actions and their impacts on the environment but also on other beings. She believes the democratic participation of youth, indigenous people, and POC communities are crucial to properly transform food production, access, and consumption patterns. She holds a B.A. in Food Anthropology (2016) from Connecticut College and an MSc. (2021) in Food Processing and Agriculture Development from the Czech University of Life Sciences. Her research focus areas include product development, and food security. Contact: Glindys.luciano@ypard.net
Valentina Martínez-Salazar, Digital Communications Officer
Valentina Martínez-Salazar is a Colombian Biologist graduated from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. She's currently finishing her Master in "Wildlife Management and Conservation" at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague at the Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences. Her main interests relate to animal behavior, ecology and conservation, especially of bats. Contact: valentina.martinez@ypard.net
Co-creation is key to supporting youth in small-scale food production: A Pre-COP Side Event with FAO, YOUNGO and YPARD
For the Pre-COP in Italy, YPARD along with FAO and YOUNGO co-organized the Side Event “Creating a resilient livelihood for youth in small-scale food production.” The opening speakers emphasized the barriers to youth in agriculture, especially in small-scale production. YPARD Director Genna Tesdall, as one of the opening speakers, emphasized the need to co-create programs for youth with youth, including supporting programs created by youth...Read more.
YPARD takes part in delivering the Youth Declaration for Food Transformation at the UNFSS 21
We are hungry for change in our food systems. Young people, in all our diversity, have driven food systems change for years, whether through youth organizations or individual efforts. With this youth declaration, we reemphasize our commitments, and ask that those who hold political and financial power in the food system, including governments and businesses, take action with us...Read more.
YPARD and the United Nations Food Summit 2021: Policy Position
As the largest global network for young professionals in agricultural development, YPARD is engaging in a consultative process to conduct the views of our network to the actors present at the UN Food Systems Summit and Pre-Summit. We call on all stakeholders to take full responsibility for their actions and responses, or non-responses, to the numerous crises we face in agrifood systems, and to consistently and democratically engage youth, in all our diversity, in the solutions-making and implementation processes...Read more.
Want youth to transform the food system? Let's talk finance.
In the last several years, dialogue around safe and nutritious food has evolved from talks about productivity towards post-productionist goals. What does it really mean to consume food that is produced in an ethical manner and in a fashion which respects farmers, animals, the environment and consumers? The conversation is still evolving, and YPARD is honored to contribute at the global level as the youth constituency is increasingly recognized...Read more.
Why Virtual Coffee Chats? Behind the idea with YPARD Belgium's Country Representative, Michael Ruggeri.
Being part of YPARD means being part of a community spanning across continents and countries with very different needs and plans when it comes to agriculture and rural development. Still, what brings all YPARDians together is their willingness to do more by learning from their peers, sharing experiences and acting as one when the need arises...Read more.
Vacancy: Become YPARD Nigeria's next communication focal point! Learn more.
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