For the fifth time this year, at the invitation of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), a young farmers’ delegation of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) joined the 13th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA 2021) participating in the International Young Farmers’ Forum.
From January 18 to 22, the WFO youngsters’ delegation had the opportunity to discuss, share their visions and exchange their experiences on this year GFFA’s theme “How to Feed the World in Times of Pandemics and Climate Change”.
Moreover, they worked out on a joint declaration that Khoushbou Singh Sewraj from Mauritius, and Morgan Norris from the USA, as representatives of the Young Farmers’ Delegation, delivered on 22 January, the last day of the GFFA event, in front of over 70 Ministers of Agriculture from all over the world attending the Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference, which represents the world’s largest meeting of agriculture ministers and high-level representatives of international organisations.
Young farmers take full responsibility for their part, and they can really contribute to sustainable development when they are supported and empowered.
To this extent, they called on the Agricultural Ministers across the globe to consider their needs and expectations in the decision-making process:
- Investing in research and innovation to achieve a greater rootedness of young people in rural territories in the face of the great demographic growth in cities.
- Ensuring young farmers can access land for agricultural production and support them in gaining that access to farmlands.
- Providing training for young farmers to give young agriculturalists more opportunities and connections with locals and increases their agricultural businesses.
- Fostering inclusiveness in the food value chain through the empowerment of young and women farmers in agriculture.
Young farmers present a huge goldmine that can provide a solution to the main challenges of the 21st century. Their energy and passion, empowered with the right tools and measures, will boost the entire agricultural sector towards a sustainable future for all.