Amidst this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which focuses on youth empowerment, we asked young farmers from the WFO Gymnasium’s fourth edition to share their experiences in preventing disasters and managing the aftermath. We collected their stories in this article, fostering collective awareness of the topic and amplifying efforts to build a resilient farming community.
Held every 13 October, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) promotes a global culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction, stressing the importance of resilience in the face of disasters and raising awareness about the importance of its prevention and management.
This year’s focus is on the role of education in protecting and empowering children and youth for a disaster-free future.
This topic is critical when it comes to the youth in agriculture. Educating young farmers about climate-smart practices, strategies for resilient agriculture, and sustainable methods, as well as raising awareness about the potential disasters—which, while often similar, are unique to each farming context—is crucial to the future of agriculture, rural communities, and the world at large.
This annual observance aligns closely with WFO’s efforts to empower farmers, particularly young farmers, through education and capacity-building. This year, in line with this commitment, WFO kicked off the fourth edition of the WFO Gymnasium High-Level Capacity Building Program. Launched in 2017 in collaboration with Bayer, the Program has already trained and empowered 67 active young farmers globally, providing them with over 70 high-level advocacy opportunities at international conferences, allowing them to effectively bring the voices of world farmers into key policy-making arenas.
Last year we asked young farmers from the third edition of the Gymnasium to share their firsthand experiences in disaster risk management and prevention. Inspired by the stories we received, we reached out to the students of the new Gymnasium edition, asking for their perspectives and views on this year’s theme—education as a tool for empowering and enhancing disaster resilience among youth.
Young Farmer Testimonies: A Global Perspective
David Newcombe (Canada – CFA-FCA)
Photo credit: David Newcombe
I am David Newcombe, a 10th-generation farmer from Nova Scotia, Canada. We raise dairy cows, laying hens, and chickens for meat, as well as a crop of about 1900 acres of land, growing corn, wheat, soybeans, and forages to use in our feed mill to feed our animals.
The major risk facing our farm comes from diseases that affect our animals, with Avian Influenza currently being the risk. To prevent a disease outbreak, we rely on our biosecurity measures, including washing and disinfecting our barns regularly, having dedicated boots for each barn to prevent the spread from the outside environment, and using boot covers and overalls inside the barns.
A nearby farm had an outbreak of Avian Influenza a few years ago and lost its entire flock. We were in the quarantine zone and had to deal with increased biosecurity measures, like disinfecting the tyres of every vehicle on and off our farm. It was a first-hand experience of the seriousness of the risk, and we learned a lot about best management practices to avoid any disease outbreak.
Our agriculture community can only grow and improve if we help educate and share our knowledge and experiences with the next generation of young farmers.
Medias Kukunda (Uganda – UNFFE)
Photo credit: Medias Kukunda
My name is Medias Kukunda. I am an agronomist and young farmer from Uganda. With my mother’s help, I manage a two-acre maize farm in the highlands of Rukungiri.
Uganda experiences two farming seasons, and in the second cropping season, I ventured into maize that I planted in mid-August 2024 after receiving the first seasonal rains. However, the season took an unexpected turn when unstable rain patterns delayed germination. For weeks, I anxiously watched the fields, hoping for relief. Finally, the rains stabilised in mid-September, leaving an experience of little to no crop germinability. While some of the crops had failed to sprout, we are now refilling the gaps with drought-resistant maize varieties, particularly Longe 7H, characterised by hybridity, drought-tolerance, and resistance to the maize streak virus (MSV) and the grey leaf spot (GLS). This is to ensure the field remains productive. The team and I continue to monitor the crop for thinning if there is overgrowth from dormant seeds, as well as doing gap filling, which is necessary to secure a full harvest.
As a rain-fed small-scale farmer, I rely on the environment to dictate my farming decisions. This season, however, reminded me of how climate change is making rain patterns less predictable and more extreme. While I don’t use high-tech tools like soil sensors due to their expensive purchase prices, installation and maintenance, flexibility, and readiness are crucial. This includes diversifying crop varieties and being prepared to act swiftly when the weather shifts unexpectedly.
I strongly believe education is pivotal in empowering the next generation of farmers. Teaching youth about climate-smart agriculture, resilience strategies, and sustainable practices will be vital in ensuring a disaster-resilient future for farming communities like mine.
Facundo Galíndez (Argentina – SRA)
Photo credit: Facundo Galíndez
My name is Facundo Galíndez, and my family is dedicated to cattle breeding and rearing. We are currently shifting from an extensive system to an intensive one.
Being in an arid zone, the fields are prone to fires during the summer. To prevent these disasters, we use AI-powered cameras to detect fires at their early stages. We have ATVs for transportation and tractors to create firebreaks. Accessing water is very difficult, and the government doesn’t help much in these cases. My experiences have been tough but always with good results.
I believe it is essential to raise awareness of these issues so that the new generations understand that farmers are the first to defend the environment, as without the environment, we couldn’t produce.
Rafael Riedel (Brazil – Young Agriculture & Livestock Federation of Mato Grosso do Sul – Famasul)
Photo credit: Rafael Riedel
I am Rafael, a farmer from Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil. In our region, we mainly plant soybeans, corn, and sugarcane—crops very susceptible to fire during severe droughts.
In 2024, our state experienced a significant drought, which caused many properties to struggle with fire control and lose entire crops. Fortunately, our farm wasn’t one of them, but I’m here to share my friend’s story.
Most farmers in our region have to deal with various factors when it comes to fire prevention: high temperatures, distant firefighters, cigarette butts, wind direction, fuel, lightning strikes, and more. It’s common for farmers to have their own fire prevention procedures, which often include regular employee training, water trucks, and other precautionary measures. Even though we are generally well-prepared for fire risks, it’s never enough to emphasise prevention.
Last year, my neighbour lost an entire harvester and part of their crops because the machine’s filter caught fire. Although they have the most comprehensive fire prevention training I’ve ever seen, preventing these accidents is becoming increasingly difficult with climate change and even drier conditions.
Education certainly plays a big role in preventing fires, but collaboration and cooperation play an even bigger one. We are witnessing the consequences of global warming. Stories like these will become far more common if we don’t work together for a more sustainable world.
Fire on a neighbour farm – photo by Rafael Riedel
Hennie Wilhelm Hartmann Beeken (South Africa – SAAI)
Photo credit: Hennie Wilhelm Hartmann Beeken
My name is HW Beeken. I am a young agronomist from South Africa who specialises in field crops and citrus trees. I advise farmers on nutrition and risk management.
Although I don’t own a farm, my experiences have shown me the importance of disaster risk prevention. Runaway fires and non-curative diseases are major threats to our farming community.
We implement backburning and firefighting measures for fires, while disease prevention relies on good sanitation. Climate change has worsened fires due to increased droughts and drought severity.
I believe education on risk management is the golden solution to minimising the impact of these disasters.
Backburning practice – video by Hennie Wilhelm Hartmann Beeken
Malina CHHEAN (Cambodia – CFAP)
Photo credit: Malina CHHEAN
My name is Malina CHHEAN. I was born into a farming family and currently work for an agricultural cooperative in my hometown, Kampot province, in southern Cambodia.
Rice is a staple crop and a cornerstone of my province’s economy, followed by coconut, pepper, and other crops that provide food, livelihood and market competition.
However, the country has increasingly faced challenges of drought due to climate change and changing weather patterns, particularly over the past two years. These crises have significantly impacted rice producers, as drought conditions can diminish rice yields, leading to lower incomes for farmers in rural communities, especially farmers who need to invest in water sources or irrigation systems, adding financial burdens during this challenging time.
Unseasonable droughts and unpredictable rainfall are increasingly disrupting rice cultivation and forcing farmers to search for jobs in cities to support their families. This is leading to rural depopulation, especially among the youth, and loss of agricultural knowledge and labour force.
Fortunately, there is a high level of expertise from the Ministry of Agriculture and farmers’ organisations, such as CFAP, which advocate for policies that support sustainable water management by digging ponds and canals to supply water for farming. They also provide financial assistance to help farmers adopt drought-resistant practices. Moreover, rotating rice with other crops, such as soybeans, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes, which require less water, helps to maintain soil health and fertility.
Tuure Pesola (Finland – MTK)
Photo credit: Tuure Pesola
I am Tuure Pesola, and I have a beef cattle farm in Northern with around 600 heads in total.
We usually have calm weather throughout the year, which never poses a major threat. The most probable threat to our farm is a blackout if the power lines are cut, for instance, during a heavy storm. This affects our farms’ lighting and grain storage unloading machines, so it is not a catastrophic event. In case of a blackout, we can run tractor-powered generators to power our farm. Usually, we have enough fuel to run the generators for weeks if necessary.
The most catastrophic event at our farm would be a fire in the animal pen. Fire safety has been ensured by our insurance company’s policies and Finnish legal requirements. The entire farm is inspected by a fire inspector every five years. We limit the fire by keeping potential fire sources in a safe place where the fire cannot spread. The fuel tanks have their own separate shed, and we have fire alarms, which activate automatic fireproof doors to the animal pen. We have camera surveillance 24/7 and pre-fire equipment ready at all times. All the farm personnel are trained to handle potential fire hazards safely and know the nearby pre-fire equipment. Luckily, our farm has never had a fire break out.
I believe education on potential disasters is the best way to avoid them. Each farm has its own hazards and must develop the means to avoid disaster. The biggest disaster to any farm is negligence over its hazards.
Virginia Espen (Italy – Giovani di Confagricoltura – ANGA)
Photo credit: Virginia Espen
I am Virginia, from Trento, a small town in the north of Italy. My father and I have a farm in the middle of the mountains, where we cultivate apples with organic methods.
Our area is often hit by strong frost during spring nights, hailstorms during summer, and heavy rainfalls and winds in recent years.
To protect our trees from frost, we use a system of pinwheels that we activate when the temperature approaches zero. These release water all night, and the transition from water to ice gives off heat to the flowers, protecting them.
We have an anti-hail net for hailstorms. Unfortunately, one night during the summer of 2020, the wind and hail were extremely strong, and an entire apple field, with the apples still on the trees, was lost. We had to rebuild it from scratch.
I think it is fundamental to give young farmers the means to face the difficulties that agriculture will encounter in the near future, especially regarding the climate, as it will become increasingly difficult.
Apple trees after a hailstorm – photo by Virginia Espen
Valary Otieno (Kenya – KENAFF)
Photo credit: Valary Otieno
My name is Valary Achieng Otieno, and I am a young farmer in Kenya dedicated to Irish potato production.
While the location of my farm is ideal for potato production, I faced a significant challenge during an unusually cold season (I say unusually because my country rarely experiences extremely cold weather; we typically enjoy a pleasant tropical climate).
Frost struck at the peak of my crop development. This rare weather event left my potato plants wilted and blackened, and many tubers were stunted, darkened, and full of liquid, drastically reducing both my yield and quality.
Recognising the growing threat, I sought advice from experts and fellow farmers who had faced similar issues. I learned to use cardboard boxes to cover tender foliage during extremely cold nights, removing them in the morning. This simple yet effective method not only protected my crops but also taught me valuable lessons about resilience and adaptability. I have also been thinking of looking into resistant varieties.
Education is crucial for young farmers like me. It helps us learn new methods to tackle challenges and build a sustainable future where our farms can thrive, even in the face of climate change.
Martin Murray (Australia – NFF)
Photo credit: Martin Murray
My name is Martin Murray. My wife and I farm a small 340-ha dryland farm in northern NSW, Australia. We are primarily a dryland cropping enterprise but also raise a small number of beef cattle.
In early 2023, a Foot and Mouth disease scare spread across Australia after the disease was discovered in nearby Bali. Fortunately, while the disease never reached Australia, it still sent shockwaves through the Australian cattle market, causing prices to crash. If the disease had reached Australian shores, it would have caused a total collapse of the Australian cattle market and a significant drop in grain prices. Overall, it would have been devastating for our business.
However, it provided an excellent reminder to all of us about the importance of good biosecurity, both at a national and farm level. From this experience, extra biosecurity protocols were introduced at airports and on farms to keep our industry safe.
Cattle farm – photo by Martin Murray
Mologadi Shirley Shella Ngoetjana (South Africa – AFASA)
Photo credit: Mologadi Shirley Shella Ngoetjana
My name is Mologadi Ngoetjana Madisha. I am a crop and poultry farmer from the northern part of South Africa, Limpopo Province.
In the agricultural sector, crop production is often regarded as an easy, low-input cost, and very reliable source of capital building for young farmers. However, the aftermath of climate change has caused disruption in our region. Delayed rainfall and moisture accumulation brought down devastating hailstorms that left crop production shattered and caused economic loss.
Climate-smart technologies and approaches are viable tools to mitigate the challenges of climate change. Young farmers should be equipped with knowledge and exposed to green energy farming practices while also being provided with infrastructure support, as they continuously mitigate food security, zero hunger, and malnutrition amongst communities.
Conclusion: A Call for Collaboration and Education
In conclusion, the stories shared by these young farmers from different corners of the world highlight a common thread: the importance of education, preparedness, and collaboration in mitigating the impacts of disasters. WFO remains committed to supporting initiatives that empower young farmers through capacity building and knowledge sharing, ensuring they are better equipped to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and disaster risks.
As we continue our efforts, let us remember that a disaster-resilient future for agriculture is only possible through shared learning, global cooperation, and ongoing education.