1. Engaging Young Professionals in the Agri-
food Sector: Strategies, Lessons and
Experiences from YPARD and YPARD
Africa
Courtney Paisley, YPARD Coordinator and
Gbadebo Odularu, YPARD Africa Coordinator
Presented at: Young People, Farming and Food: Future of the Agrifood
Sector in Africa

2. What is YPARD?
A global platform of young professionals under 40 years of
age active in Agricultural Research for Development (ARD)

3. Why YPARD?
 Insufficient participation of young professionals
in dialogues addressing critical development
issues
• Limited access to professional opportunities for
youth
• Absence of a support network or platform to
voice young professionals’ ideas, opinions and
concerns
• Declining interest in agricultural education
among youth
• The need for sustainable ARD

4. Ageing ARD population
Age distribution by agency and gender, 2007 (calculated by headcount)
At these three agencies, the large majority of researchers were over the age of 40 in 2007. Over
half were between the ages 51 and 60. This aging pool of well-qualified researchers, many of whom
will retire in the next decade, is a major area of concern.
 Sources: Calculated by authors from ASTI-AWARD 2008/09.

5. Objectives
1. To facilitate the exchange of information and
knowledge among young professionals across
disciplines, professions, age and regions
2. To broaden opportunities for young professionals to
contribute to strategic ARD policy debates
3. To promote agriculture among young people
4. To facilitate access to resources and capacity building
opportunities

6. Our Stakeholders
• Universities
• Research Institutions
• Donor organizations
• NGOs/CSOs
• Government agencies
• Farmer organizations
• Private sector

7. Distribution:
1950 members from 117countries

8. Coordination offices
at
at
at
Global Coordination Unit at

9. What we provide our members
 Information on funding opportunities, jobs, news in ARD
and more!
 YPARD newsletter to keep up-to-date on activities of
interest to YPs in ARD
 Online interaction with YPs around the globe
 Opportunities to apply to represent YP interests at
meetings and workshops
 Ability to build a professional profile
 Actively contributing to a more dynamic ARD!

10. What is Youth?
 YPARD chose an age limit to practically
manage a network
 Under 40 years of age
 Agricultural research requires long
schooling
 Young women often at a further
disadvantage
 Post conflict countries
 Also include ‘experienced and supportive
professionals’ as members

11. Mentoring
 93.5% members say that they want a
mentoring programme
 promote a two-way mentoring process
which benefits both parties
 Focus on young women and mentoring in
agri-entrepeneurship
 Senior-Junior partnerships for
consultancies

12. Youth voice in events
 Leverage minimal funds for maximum
impact
 Make sure the youth have something
concrete to say
 Represent youth on specific topics from
specific stakeholder groups
 YPARD as a facilitation mechanism
 Make youth a regular stakeholder group
for consultation. Changes perceptions
and provides opportunities.

13. Active young members
 For Africa submissions were 15 times the
budget available
 Increase of volunteerism in the region
 People want to develop their professional
visibility
 Language challenges – East and West
Africa

14. What our members say
Why did you join YPARD?
2. Increase networking possibilities (70%),
3. Receive information on ARD related
events (49%)
4. Gain access to funding opportunities
(43%)
5. Receive information about job
opportunities (23%)

15. What else? We‘re looking for...
 More members!
 Expanding YP members in different stakeholder groups
 Increasing institutional linkages
 More young professionals driving the process – ideas
coming from a local level
 More dynamic online discussions
 More young faces and voices at key ARD debates
 Innovative and youth led ARD!

16. Thank You
and
Sign up now ! @ www.ypard.net