from-the-directors-desk-

By: Genna Tesdall, YPARD Director

Dear YPARD,

The first five 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.

After speaking with many of you one-on-one, reviewing internal audits and membership surveys, your new Network Engagement Coordinator, Glindys Viriginia Luciano, and I have set our sights on some meaningful projects. After all, we are here to serve you, our members! Our goal is to reinforce the foundation of YPARD so that we here at the Global Coordinating Unit (GCU) can support those fantastic initiatives you all as YPARDians are here to achieve.

Always be in touch when the YPARD GCU can support your efforts in any way. Would you like to apply for a grant to make your ideas a reality? Don't hesitate to identify opportunities and reach out to us for support. We're also here to brainstorm!

My vision for YPARD is to make youth the next cross-cutting theme in global agricultural dialogues and agendas. As such, we need to get youth a seat at the table, whether that's at the policy-making table or the management of the farm! Our activities center on that goal.

Look at our summary below for a list of highlights of the GCU's recently accomplished and upcoming activities.

In solidarity and with humility,

Genna

Some highlights of our global activities at the GCU...

In the area of advocacy:

  • Two Pre-COP side events with FAO and YOUNGO for the Pre-Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP) on September 30th and October 1st.
  • Official partnership with the World Food Forum, hosted by FAO as a participatory platform for youth. YPARD is offering a Main Session on October 4th titled "Creating Youth Consultative Processes in Agriculture and Food Policy Spaces." Register here!
  • YPARD Co-Lead the drafting of the zero draft governance document for the World Food Forum along with the Major Group for Children and Youth.
  • YPARD participated on the selection committee for the GFAR Chair and Vice-Chair.
  • YPARD has been granted observer status to the Conference of the Parties Convention on Biological Diversity.
  • YPARD was a part of the UN Food Systems Summit Youth Liaison Group and participated in the core drafting team and video presentation of the Youth Declaration, giving inputs based on our UNFSS position and YPARD-organized Independent Dialogues held in Africa and LAC.
  • YPARD Steering Committee Member Lako Stephanie presented YPARD's support for the Shanghai Declaration. 
  • YPARD negotiated and supported the Youth Declaration on Plant Health. 
  • YPARD has been nominated to the Youth Taskforce of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.


In the area of knowledge management:

  • Pre-COP Side Event presentation of YPARD at the Future Food Institute co-organized event.
  • Planned speaking engagement at the Czech University of Life Sciences (CZU) high-level Open Faculty Day, where the new Tropical Life Sciences building will be officially opened.
  • Workshops on Science Communication have been delivered at CZU, in collaboration with AgriSci Platform, and at the Tropentag hosted at the University of Hohenheim in Germany.
  • Two blog posts featuring YPARD have been contributed to the GFAR Partners in Action blog series. The first advocated for youth leadership and the second for financial support of youth efforts.
  • Presentation of YPARD at EUFRAS and host of a youth roundtable at the AIARD Annual Conference.
  • YPARD Steering Committee Member Jim Leandro Cano was one of the authors of the CFS HPLE Report on Youth.


In the areas of professionalization and network engagement:

  • YPARD launched its new website on 2 September 2021! We are slowly making changes to the new website.
  • The YPARD GCU is hosting a webinar on October 18th on local chapter registration for the country-level.
  • YPARD works together on many internal topics with GFRAS at the global level and regional levels. 
  • Convening membership with the Youth Alliance for Zero Hunger, a new organization which aims to join youth organizations in the efforts to have a voice at the Rome-based agencies.
  • The YPARD Newsletter has been revised and relaunched.
  • Establishment of regular meetings between the Regional Coordinator (RCs) and the GCU.
  • Establishment of regular meetings between the RCs, GCU, and Country Representatives (CRs).
  • Memorandums of Understanding with partner organizations are being renewed.
  • Standard Operating Procedures for the operations of the GCU are being revised and updated.


In the area of Fundraising:

  • One project proposal was submitted in cooperation with FiBL Switzerland to GIZ (German Corporation for International Cooperation GmbH).
  • Grant applications are being planned for EU Commission and IFAD calls. 
  • Going talks with potential partners.

For more upcoming global activities stay tuned!