CFS Policy Recommendations on Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition, as agreed by OEWG on 6 July 2022

• English

The second round of negotiations on the draft CFS Policy Recommendations on Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems, scheduled for 4-6 July 2022, will be held in presence at FAO Headquarters (Plenary Hall, Building A, Third Floor).

The second round of negotiations will focus on Rapporteur’s proposals prepared on the basis of inputs provided during the first round, as well as inputs received on the new paragraphs.

• Rapporteur’s proposal for the Second Round of Negotiations
• Letter from the Rapporteur 

The schedule for the three days will be as follows:

Interpretation will be provided in the six official FAO languages.

The process will follow the CFS principles and guidelines on negotiations modalities provided in the Guidance Note approved by the Bureau, in consultation with the Advisory Group, on 23 March. It will be facilitated by the OEWG Rapporteur, Ambassador Pio Wennubst (Switzerland), with the support of the CFS Secretariat.

Considering restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, each delegation is requested to nominate two representatives. A head of delegation has to be indicated as well as the following information for each representative:

1. Name;
2. Organization;
3. Email address.

The Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSIPM) and the Private Sector Mechanism (PSM) can nominate up to five representatives each, clearly indicating who will act as head of delegation.

The deadline to submit nominations to [email protected] is Monday 27 June. Nominations that are submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. A confirmation email, including information on protocol for access at FAO HQs, will be sent to registered Members, Participants and Observers before the start of the negotiations.

Those CFS Members and Participants who are not part of the official delegations and would like to follow remotely as silent observers can pre-register at the following link: https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_37shdDQCTqmV4_nAgu-hEw no later than Wednesday 29 June. A Zoom link will be then sent to them prior to the negotiations.

Comments on new paragraphs suggested during the first round of negotiations:

• Members: European Union, Indonesia, Switzerland, United States
• Other stakeholders: CSIPM, Holy See, Special Rapporteur on the right to food

The first round of negotiations of the Policy Recommendations on Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems will be held on 30-31 May and 1 June 2022 (9.30-12.00 and 14.30-17.00) in a fully virtual format, using Zoom videoconferencing platform. Interpretation will be provided in the six official FAO languages.

The negotiation process will follow the CFS principles and guidelines on negotiation modalities provided in the Guidance Note approved by the Bureau at its 23 March 2022 meeting. The process will be facilitated by the OEWG Rapporteur, Ambassador Pio Wennubst (Switzerland), with support of the CFS Secretariat.

The Guidelines for Participants in Zoom meetings are available in all languages:

• Arabic
• Chinese
• English
• French
• Russian
• Spanish

Message from the Rapporteur

In view of the first round of negotiations, OEWG members are kindly asked to submit written inputs and concrete text proposals on the Draft for Negotiations to [email protected] by 15 May, in order to give all stakeholders the opportunity to express their positions and prepare the ground for consensus building later on.

Written inputs received by CFS Members: European Union, Morocco (FR), Switzerland

Written inputs received by other stakeholders: CSIPM, PSM

Written inputs received by CFS Members:

• Brazil
• Canada
• Ecuador
• European Union
• France
• France (bis)
• Germany
• Indonesia
• Kuwait
• Mexico
• Mexico (bis)
• Mexico (ter)
• Netherlands
• Russian Federation
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United States

Written inputs received by other stakeholders:

• ACT4FOOD ACT4CHANGE
• CSM
• FAO
• GDPRD
• IFAD
• IITA
• PSM
• SEARICE
• WFO
• WFP
• Youth Alliance for Zero Hunger
• YPARD

The meeting represents an opportunity for OEWG members to discuss and provide feedback on the Zero Draft of the Policy Recommendations, in addition to the written inputs that are expected to be submitted to [email protected] by 18 March.

Chair's Summary

Provisional Agenda

Zero Draft of the Policy Recommendations
AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH

Workplan

Zero Draft: AR | EN | ES | FR | RU | ZH

Message from the Rapporteur

OEWG members are kindly asked to send written feedback on the Zero Draft by 18 March 2022 to [email protected].

Presentation

Revised provisional Agenda

The objective of CFS thematic discussions is to foster a shared understanding among CFS stakeholders of key concepts and themes related to the topic of youth engagement, employment in agriculture and food systems.

Through this first dialogue, CFS stakeholders will have an opportunity to engage in a productive conversation on ways to understand and define “youth” and the central role of human rights in fostering an enabling environment for youth in the context of agriculture and food systems.

Interpretation will be provided in six languages.

Guiding questions:

1. Which priority issues and policy-relevant areas should be addressed through this CFS policy convergence process and included in the policy recommendations?
2. Do you have any suggestions for CFS meaningfully engaging youth constituencies in the policy convergence process?

Written inputs received by CFS Members: Angola, Argentina (ES), Brazil, China, Germany, Russian Federation, Sweden, Switzerland (Question 1 | Question 2), United States

Written inputs received by other stakeholders: ADACO (FR), CSM, IFAD, FAO, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, WFO, WHO, Youth Alliance for Zero Hunger

Provisional Agenda

Chair's Summary

Dear CFS stakeholders,

I am honored to have been nominated Rapporteur for the policy convergence process on Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems.

My role will consist in facilitating a dialogue among CFS Members and Participants, towards a consensus on draft Policy Recommendations for presentation and adoption at CFS 50 in October 2022. In line with the CFS 2020-2023 MYPoW provisions, “the policy recommendations on youth are envisioned as a focused, action-oriented document that will encourage public policies to foster enabling environments capable of tapping into the energy and skills of youth to improve food systems”. I will work with the active support of the youth, of the CFS Secretariat, of Technical Focal Points that have been nominated by FAO, IFAD and WFP and of dedicated CFS members.

The policy convergence process started at CFS 49 Plenary on 13 October. This session was based on the HLPE Report on Promoting Youth Engagement and Employment in Agriculture and Food Systems (available in all UN languages). The inclusive discussion highlighted the key role played by youth in building the food systems of the future.

In line with the tentative workplan and timeline approved by the Bureau last September, I am now inviting you to provide further inputs in writing to [email protected] by 22 November 2021 sharing your views on and addressing the following guiding questions:

1. Which priority issues and policy-relevant areas should be addressed through this CFS policy convergence process and included in the policy recommendations?
2. Do you have any suggestions for CFS meaningfully engaging youth constituencies in the policy convergence process?

All inputs will be posted on the CFS website and inform preparations for our first Open Ended Working Group meeting on the afternoon of 19 November (15:00 – 18:00).

Looking forward to working together in the coming months.

Pio Wennubst,
Rapporteur for the CFS Youth Policy Convergence Process