The new cohort of young farmers from all over the world participating in the fourth edition of the WFO Gymnasium High-Level Capacity Building Program convened virtually today for the official kick-off meeting.
The opening session featured the participation of the WFO Board Member Kati Partanen, the WFO Secretary General Andrea Porro, and Bev Flatt, Global Head of Farmer Partnerships at Bayer Crop Science. Additionally, WFO Gymnasium Alumni from the previous edition, Katariina Latva from Finland and Mawejje Harbert from Uganda, shared their positive and inspiring experiences and welcomed the new participants.
Moderated by Giulia De Castro, WFO Youth Liaison and Initiatives Manager, the kick-off meeting provided a platform for the new group of young farmers, aged 18 to 35, to introduce themselves and share their expectations of the program.
The WFO Gymnasium is a cornerstone of the long-lasting collaboration between WFO and Bayer, designed to empower young farmers to fulfil their potential as future leaders and advocates of the global farming community.
Both organisations recognise the power of today’s young farmers to drive the entire agricultural sector towards a sustainable future for all: our farmers, people, and planet.
“Young people are the most critical asset on farms and within farmers’ organisations. Investing in their development is essential for the future of agriculture. That is why the WFO Gymnasium Program is so important,” stated the WFO Board Member Kati Partanen.
Bev Flatt of Bayer Crop Science added: “I am proud of what we have accomplished together in the last three editions of the WFO Gymnasium program. The voices of young farmers are crucial in shaping policies that impact the livelihoods of the global farming community. We need their unique perspective at the table of the international political debate on agriculture.”
In his closing remarks, Andrea Porro, WFO Secretary General, emphasized, “Young farmers are the backbone of the present and the future of agriculture. The Gymnasium is more than just a training program for the new farmers’ generation; it embodies the values and principles that steer WFO’s actions within our membership and on the global stage, from representation to networking, from advocacy to capacity building. By investing in these young leaders, we are investing in a resilient and thriving future for agriculture worldwide.”
The WFO Gymnasium Program recognises that learning is at the centre of all professional experiences. Soft skills acquisition and intellectual capital management are crucial for succeeding in a highly competitive environment requiring diversified knowledge as well as high-level specialisation.
Through the WFO Gymnasium, young farmers learn from international international leaders working in various policy areas at the global as well as from each other. They participate and actively engage in global events related to agriculture, such as the Plenary Sessions of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS); Global Forum on Food and Agriculture (GFFA); UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP); World Food Forum. In addition to this, they receive expert coaching to boost their leadership skills and advocacy capacities.
Since its inception in 2017, the WFO Gymnasium Program has successfully trained and empowered 67 active young farmers from all around the world and offered them more than 70 high-level advocacy opportunities at international conferences to effectively elevate the global farmers’ voices into critical policy-making discussions.