Under the support of YPARD, YPARD Asia and CAAS, the “Climate Change and Food Security—Role of Young Professionals in ARD YPARD China Promoting Conference” was successfully held in CAAS on 5th June, 2012.  Over 190 participants from 21 organizations attended this great YPARD China event:   International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), OXFAM, International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC),... More

The 4th Agriculture and Rural Development Day (ARDD) was held on 18th June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The ARDD took place in parallel with the United Nation's Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20. More than 500 participants attended the event comprising of high level policy makers, scientists, negociators, journalists, farmer organizations, civil societies and other stakeholders in... More

Dear colleagues I am calling on all YPARD members from or working in South Africa to get in touch with me so that we network and strengthen YPARD activities in the country. I was recently appointed the YPARD representative for South Africa. I am a researcher based at the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation (IERI) of Tshwane University of Technology... More

In the context of my country, Kenya, [which is] largely reliant on agriculture, sustainable development will work only if we empower our smallholder farmers [SHFs] on better ways to farm. One reason why there are constant food shortages even in arable areas is because our farmers still use rudimentary farming methods that can't work now, when farmlands are less and less.... More

It is a big pleasure and honor for me to take over the coordination of YPARD Europe! While thinking about my welcome text for YPARD blog, I started to realize that I’ve been working in agricultural business for almost 12 years now! And still, I belong to the young professionals!As I am new to the community, I’d like to give you... More

I have attended  the meeting Climate Change and Food Security—Role of Young Professionals in ARD—YPARD China Promoting Conference that was held in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS) on 5th June, 2012.  It's my first time to interview the international conference. Many experts from research academies and universities gave academic presentations and provided some suggestions on YPs’ participation in research activities and international... More

A recent conference entitled ‘Young People, Farming and Food Conference’ co-hosted by the Future Agricultures Consortium and the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research took place on 19th -21st March 2012 in Accra, Ghana. It looked in detail at the future of the agri-food sector in Africa and the engagement of the youth. I prepared a paper for this conference... More

On the occasion of the 3rd IAALD Africa Chapter conference, the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) organised a series of activities in the framework of the ARDYIS project. These included the prize giving ceremony of the YoBloCo Awards and a consultative workshop under the theme "Using ICTs to strengthen youth opportunities in agriculture and rural areas".  Winners and some best participants... More

I was asked to give a presentation to the Open Ceremony of the conference ‘Youth Perspectives: Environmental Issues in Contemporary Societies’, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from April 27-29 2012.  The conference was organized by Geneva International Model United Nations, GIMUN, a fully student run (with great professionalism and high enthusiasm!) NGO with consultative status at the UN Economic and... More

YPARD is glad to welcome its new YPARD South Africa representative: Shakespear Mudombi. Shakespear is a doctoral student based at the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation (Faculty of Economics & Finance) of Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa. His research interests include: ICTs,  agricultural technology adoption, science, technology and innovation (STI) systems, climate change information and knowledge transfer.... More

The Climate Change and Food Security—Role of Young Professionals in ARD—YPARD China Promoting Conference will be held in Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS) on 5th June, 2012. Here is the Annoncement:   I. Background In recently years, the increase of global extreme weather events and fluctuations in international food prices makes the stability of food availability and accessibility the focus of... More

?Opinion: Consolidating youth voices in agriculture  By Raymond Erick Zvavanyange  Youths have diversified agriculture, thanks to information and communication technologies (ICTs) which are leading numerous initiatives. Youths are benefiting through start-ups, mobile communities, and through a voice. The voice is precisely a lobbying and advocacy when it’s well-intentioned. Fifty or so years ago, lobbying or advocacy was likely a policy maker’s... More

When applying for an internship, job or call for participation, there are key points not to miss in order to pass the first round of selection and potentially get an interview. YPARD has been proposing a number of opportunities in the past few years and we have taken the chance to list a number of tips that will help optimize your... More

On the 15th of May 2012, I and a friend decided to see and observe the activities of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Ondo State Chapter. We went out of keen interest to associate with other farmers and see how the association can come up to sensitize the youth more about agriculture. Maybe before I share what I experienced,... More

Today, I watched as students in their fourth year in my university (Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria) picked up their log book for the six month SIWES program. This is generated some thoughts in my head as it relates to the development and sustainability of agriculture among young people especially those studying courses related to agriculture. The Student Industrial Working... More

Africa is a home to big and potential agicultural lands that would be enough to feed all the hungry in the continent. But a huge challenge in adoption to technologies has hindered this giant to discover the potential it has to feed its people. It amazing how small and young countries like Israel has made it possible to feed its people... More

 Disclaimer: *Account is of the YPARD Zimbabwe representative and not of the AVRDC  AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan held an Open Day at its headquarters recently on May 18, 2012. Participants from the island of Taiwan braced the rainy weather to witness, share, and give feed back on the center’s work. AVRDC theme for the day was “Collaboration: The... More

After holding its first awareness meeting on April 30, 2012 at Njala University Faculty Building, bringing together 44 students from various departments of the University, YPARD-Sierra Leone held its second awareness meeting Wednesday, May16, 2012 at Sierra Leone’s National Agricultural training center. The meeting brought together 58 participants from various departments of the Institution. There was a full presentation on YPARD... More

  In the context of the upcoming United Nation's Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as Rio+20), people over the world are sharing their thoughts and opinions on how they see their future, so that their voice is heard at the conference from 20-22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is being done through various methods: essay contests, blogs,... More

Most of you know YPARD as an international platform through which  young professionals are able to express their ideas and realise their full potential towards a dynamic ARD. You might not know about all of the other activities that are going on worldwide, at local, national, regional and global levels. You can now find the YPARD 2011 activity report in the... More