Global
YOUNGO
UNCCD Youth Caucus
GYBN
IFSA
MGCY
and others
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Agrifood systems are both victims and drivers of climate change. Globally, they account for around 31% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while simultaneously being highly vulnerable to climate impacts such as droughts, floods, and shifting rainfall patterns. Without ambitious climate mitigation in agriculture and food systems, achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement will not be possible.
The global project Ambitious Climate Contributions in Agrifood Systems (ClimA), commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), aims to improve the institutional, strategic, and financial conditions for implementing ambitious climate mitigation action in agrifood systems. The project supports transformation processes towards low-emission agrifood systems and is implemented in cooperation with governmental authorities, civil society actors, and international organizations.
Details about the full project can be found here.
Within the ClimA project, YPARD supports the dissemination and visibility of innovative, inclusive, and gender-responsive climate mitigation approaches in agrifood systems through youth- and women-centered dialogue, peer-learning, and policy engagement formats. YPARD's current engagement in the project runs from 08/2026 to 01/2027.
Youth and women play a critical role in agriculture and food systems globally. At the same time, they often face structural barriers to accessing decision-making spaces, resources, networks, and climate finance opportunities. While many youth- and women-led organizations already promote sustainable and climate-friendly agricultural practices, their experiences and approaches remain underrepresented in climate policy processes and global climate discussions.
Through the ClimA project, YPARD will contribute to:
• strengthening knowledge exchange on mitigation approaches in agrifood systems;
• amplifying youth voices in climate policy discussions;
• translating practical experiences into policy-relevant messaging and advocacy outputs.
.jpg)
To facilitate youth-led interactive dialogues, YPARD will build on their policy training webinars titled “Changemakers for Agri-Food Action”. This is a series of capacity building sessions for policy enthusiasts. The sessions are in the format of online webinars that YPARD launched in 2024. The aim of the series is to equip youth movements, including members of the YPARD Policy Working Group, with the tools, resources, and strategic knowledge needed to participate effectively in major international political processes. These include the Rio Conventions, Committee on World Food Security, the ECOSOC Youth Forum, and other key global forums.
Under the ClimA project, two webinars will be conducted:
● Strategic Communication for Advocacy: Powerful Messages to Drive Climate Mitigation
● COP 31: Results and Outlooks for the Future, Youth Mitigation Action from the Territories
To promote youth priorities on climate mitigation in agrifood systems, YPARD will develop a discussion paper on youth perspectives, practical experiences, barriers, and recommendations related to climate mitigation in agrifood systems; one blog/short feature contribution linked to COP31 discussions and youth perspectives on agrifood systems mitigation; and a COP31-related dissemination package including key messages and social media content.
YPARD's global Policy Working Group (PWG) will serve as a structured platform for evidence-based youth advocacy on climate mitigation and adaptation through agroecology and organic agriculture through encouraging youth and women to participate in policy processes at all levels, build capacity of participants on how to meaningfully engage in policy processes including how to develop policy instruments such as position papers, policy briefs among others as well facilitate climate policy knowledge access.
Through working subgroups on key issues and areas such as agroecology, land, just transition, and the Rio Conventions, young people will exchange experiences and incorporate their demands and lessons learned—particularly from the KCOA network—into policy priority documents to influence decision-making processes. These documents will also serve as an important input for the advocacy work of the Youth Constituencies, especially YOUNGO, as the official youth mechanism for the UNFCCC.
To be published soon
Sebastian Pedraza, Global Engagement Manager, YPARD, sebastian.pedraza@ypard.net