The importance of addressing youth issues in the Philippines The Philippines is an agricultural country with a land area of 30 million hectares, 47% of which is agricultural land. The Agriculture sector in the Philippines contributes about 20 percent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, in the past decades, the Agriculture sector encountered many challenges, particularly the ageing population of farmers in the country. The Department of Agriculture of the Philippines, in an Official Statement(1) has pointed out the declining interest in farming resulting to an aging labor force in the agriculture sector, which may lead to the deterioration of the...

Nearly one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, parliamentarians gathered for the first in a series of virtual dialogues on food security and nutrition in the time of COVID-19. The dialogues, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), offer a forum for parliamentarians to exchange experiences and best practices in mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on food security, in both the containment and recovery phases of the pandemic.The first dialogue in the series brought together parliamentarians from Central America and South America to...

Globally there are estimated 1.21 billion people aged between 15 and 24, a number that will increase to 1.29 billion by 2030. In Africa only, more than 10 million young people are expected to enter the labour market every year for the next decade. This growing youth population, especially in developing countries, represents a great opportunity for harnessing a demographic dividend, but also economic and social challenges, which could lead to political instability or conflict. With the COVID-19 crisis exacerbating existing vulnerabilities of rural young women and men and inequalities, it is crucial to design inclusive...

Rome - Family farming has the potential to lead the world in a transformation towards more sustainable, healthy and nutritious food and agricultural systems. In a world where hunger and malnutrition are on the rise, family farming can be part of the solution. However, this will require sound policies, investments and institutional frameworks that adequately support family farmers.   Building an enabling environment for family farmers means that there are adequate resources in place, and that governance and institutional arrangements are effective and inclusive. Parliamentarians, with their legislative, budgetary and oversight responsibilities, are uniquely positioned to contribute to the...

ncreasing investment in agriculture and, more importantly, improving the quality of investment so that it benefits those most in need, is one of the most effective strategies for reducing hunger and poverty, and it is crucial to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol, FAO Director for Partnerships and UN Collaboration Marcella Villarreal, and FAO Director in Brussels Rodrigo de Lapuerta, were joined by Members of the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition, European Commission representatives, the German Council presidency and partners to discuss how investment can contribute to sustainable and inclusive development.