Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

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    • How do the experiences of young women differ from those of young men in knowledge generation, acquisition and transfer?

      To me, this question has significance as young women usually are not considered having knowledge beyond household works. Fishers, like farmers, are not just men. Millions of women around the world work, paid or unpaid, in the fisheries sector. Women are mainly involved in the tasks that come before and after the fish are hauled out of the water, they may also be there for the catch or the harvest. Their preparatory work includes making and mending nets, baskets and pots, baiting hooks and providing services to the fishing boats. They practice their own fishing both for commercial and subsistence purposes, often from canoes and in areas close to their community.

      In coastal areas of India, men go out in the seas for fishing-once it is brought home, women take over to process it and market. Here the young women need to improve their capacities further to enhance their income using good practices leading to improved visibility of their contribution. Also, in North eastern part of India, women appear to be more enterprising-running shops, managing sales of agriproduce-fruits, vegetables in particular.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB1Vsw3bIwA

    • Dear All,

      The report in the first look, appears to be well drafted, many congratulations! to all those engaged in preparing it. It indeed is a gigantic task given the huge diversity we have in matters of food production systems and youth engagements. It will be my pleasure to go through in minute details to be able to comment or give suggestions. I am not sure whether it is within the scope of this report or not, when we see-

      1. Youth are more intersted in agri-value chains like processing and marketing of agriproduce than primary production, unlik old generation farmers who have been toiling in production activities leaving post harvest activites to middlemen, resulting in poor returns from farming.

      2. Organic agriculture is attracting youths globally compared to conventional farming including in developing countries. Same is true with use of social media channels. The need is therefore, for engaging youths creatively so that their energies and potential can be harnessed for agricultural transformation in developing countries in particular.

      3. Late passing on of land title in the name of children has implications in terms of late entry of youths into farming, consequently financing of innovative projects gets affected.

      4.  Youth if organize themselves into groups/clusters can pool up resources to do farm production, processing and marketing of produce to make farming profitable, for which they need skills including soft skills, technical guidance and hand holding.

      Looking forward for intellectually stimulating discussion on the report.

      Regards,

       

      Mahesh Chander

       

       

    • Sharing the most recent reference that should be considered in this report.

      Yesterday, I watched the livestreaming of the book launch by the IFPRI.

      Youth and jobs in rural Africa: Beyond stylized facts, authored by Valerie Mueller, ed., James Thurlow, ed. This 323 page book published by IFPRI &  Oxford University Press is one important document which could be useful in preparing the report.

      I liked when it was being emphasised: policies that are grounded in local evidence rather than stylized facts.

      More details:

      https://www.ifpri.org/publication/youth-and-jobs-rural-africa-beyond-st…

       

    • The report can benefit from good practices and successful experiences from across the world, especailly from developing countries, that are  improving youth engagement. I am impressed by the ADB supported youth  training programme in Bangaldesh.

      ADB is training half a million youngsters in Bangladesh for employment, so far, 260,000 young people have been trained with new skills in 10 high priority areas, including the booming garments industry. Every year 2 million youths enter the job market in Bangladesh – ADB is training half a million of them with the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. With a well-trained workforce, Bangladesh aspire  to transition to a developed country.

      https://www.adb.org/news/videos/new-skills-better-future-bangladesh

      Many developing countries have youth skilling programmes, some are very successful, which could offer some insights for furhter finetuning and upscaling.

      For instance, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK- Farm Science Centres) in India is also responsible for skilling youth and women. For developing the skills of the rural youth and to increase their productivity, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), India signed an agreement on 20th March, 2018 . Skilling would not only ensure that agriculture becomes technologically and entrepreneurially attractive to youth but also meet the emerging demand of Para Professionals in Agriculture, Horticulture, Dairy, Poultry and Fisheries. 100 KVKs are implementing Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA) project to attract and empower the youth in rural areas for taking up various agriculture and allied sector enterprises.

       

    • While supervising Master’s & Doctoral dissertations, viz.1. Determinants of rural youth participation in farming (2014), 2. Participation of young women in agriculture: an analytical study of their involvement, attitude and aspirations (2018), 3.Gender based differential access to information among livestock owners and its impact on household milk production in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh (2006), 4. Gender perspectives in dairy production system of Rajasthan (2014), I observed:

      i. Agriculture is the least preferred career option among young, particularly women in India, ii. The extension services need to be oriented to make them more responsive to younger generations of farmers especially farm women which are currently paid least attention amongst all, iii. women’s formal participation is very limited, often due to inherent gender bias coupled with lack of skills for skilled jobs, iv. Women are poorly represented in skill trainings, meetings and events meant for capacity building programmes undertaken by Research, Development & extension organizations, v. The long standing gender inequality in matters of agricultural & rural transformation can be overcome through relevant research by generating evidences towards developing right policies and programmes including extension services, vi. Skilling rural women may improve their work profile leading to their visibility and productivity in Indian agriculture, vii. Adult men often hold the title on land making them eligible for collateral/credit from the financial institutions to take up commercial activities in rural areas, viii. Women are often ignored by the financial institutions for the want of collaterals, ix. Limited association of farm women with formal institutions further limit their access to information and knowledge needed to upgrade their status and self-esteem, x. The All Women Dairy Cooperatives in India could improve their level of skills and social prestige with economic empowerment, xi. Skilled women can contribute more meaningfully in agricultural sector to bring about much needed rural transformation in India, xi. The extension services to be relevant & sustainable have to consider the aspirations and needs of younger generation of farmers especially young rural women.

      We interviewed two hundred youth respondents from farming families of Kerala and Rajasthan in India, to analyze their educational and occupational aspirations and the effect of socio-cultural and economic factors on aspirations. The results revealed that only a small fraction of youth were interested in agriculture and allied industries in both of these states.

      Also, I published a blog," Women, livestock and fodder trees in Central Himalayas", which a kind of my personal narration of women at my home, who face hardships in rearing animals.

      Considering the importance of gender equality in matters of access to resources including farm trainings, I wrote for GFAR, Gender Inclusive Capacity Building Programmes: We Know Gender Equality Matters.

      I believe, this report should address issue of the safe Spaces for youth as well…

      On 12th August, 2018, we celebrated International Day of Youth and I wrote about the event that took place at my institute. The theme for International Youth Day 2018 was Safe Spaces for Youth. Youth need safe spaces where they can come together, engage in activities related to their diverse needs and interests, participate in decision making processes and freely express themselves.

      Just one little effort from our part to be part of the effort to raise awareness on challenges and problems facing the world’s youth, with energetic participation of about 85 boys and girls. Many of them had complaints against their parents, teachers and friends for poor parenting, poor teaching and not being helpful at the time of need. A few told they can do a lot better; they need just good support from their families, teachers, friends and society at large. Some were apprehensive about their future just because there were not enough government jobs to look towards. A few wanted early marriage but they can’t, just because they don’t have a government job. We were surprised to know that many girls wanted to join police force- to teach lessons to eve teasers. Their stories were reflective that eve-teasing remains one big problem in this part of the world.

      They loved to express themselves because they were offered a platform to do so. Often they lack opportunities to share their free thoughts, ideas and creativity, they told. They loved it much that they got the opportunity to celebrate a day meant for them and about them. Usually no one cares for their needs & wants, only scolding’s of parents and teachers often they get, they are hardly heard by anybody, some echoed. For many, it was their first opportunity to speak up what they think. It was really a very gratifying for us that rural boys & girls could speak before an audience- the very first step to build up their confidence and raise morale.

      Can we provide such opportunities? We need more youth clubs, wherein, youth can unleash their creativity and share their ideas. This report should address how best this can be done, & how fast?

    • I suggest, Report should also address, Role of Social media in constructive engagement of youth

      1. I published a blog, Youth and social media: A leverage for agripreneurship

      https://ypard.net/2018-07-31/youth-and-social-media-leverage-agripreneurship

      I believe, Social Media (SM) offer the potential to promote opportunities, and eventually facilitate positive youth development. Considering the importance of social media among youth, it is critical to understand how to use it as a tool to foster youth development. Social media is not just about “posting cat videos”, it also gives young farmers and entrepreneurs opportunities to promote their ideas or businesses online. Social media presents an enormous opportunity for young entrepreneurs to continue finding creative ways to build their brands, dynamically serve their clients, cultivate relationships with colleagues and consumers, and explore new frontiers within this young digital society. The resources and platform it provides enables young individuals to act entrepreneurially in a way that was recently not possible.

       

      1. How digital apps and services are boosting rural employment

      http://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1149534/

      There are some new ways of working in agriculture that harnesses digital and technological innovations, rendering it more efficient and, not as a small byproduct, providing new opportunities and services for young entrepreneurs.

      1.  Tata Consultancy Services completed a study “Social Media is Serious Business: A View from European Youth” about social media usage across Europe, where they surveyed 5,000 young people from 15 countries. The results of the study and the #GenerationDirect campaign indicate that the importance of social media among young (i.e., Millennial) entrepreneurs cannot be overstated. Thirty-three percent of this group utilizes social media on a daily basis, with its uses ranging from hiring, client communication, networking, collaboration and skill development. Specifically, 60% of young entrepreneurs indicate that social media helps them find freelance employees, and 41% are in touch with their clients via social media on a daily basis. Furthermore, 62% of the sample uses social media to grow their business network. In essence, social media has become a fundamental aspect of growing and sustaining a business for Millennial entrepreneurs. The emphasis on social media among young entrepreneurs reflects a larger generational shift regarding the demographical makeup of the global workforce. Millennials (those born between 1982-1994) will make up 75% of the world’s workers by the year 2025 and are considered ‘digital natives’ as the first generation to come of age with the internet and smart phones. For this generation, the use of social media is second nature and a natural part of their daily existence. Beyond their comfort level with technology and their every-increasing presence at work, this generation has received wide spread attention in popular media for their perceived workplace behavior, stereotypically being seen as a job-hopping, entitled bunch.

      Social media is making young people more entrepreneurial than ever

      https://digitalempowers.com/social-media-making-young-people-entrepreneurial-ever/

    • I liked the comment of Florence Egal, wherein, many practical issues have been mentioed.

      Again, sharing two most recent references that may be considered in this report.

      Africa,  Asia & the Pacific region are dominated by huge youth population, where the governments are under pressure to create more and better jobs for the region’s young and rapidly growing population. The following two recent publications may beuseful while writing the report on youths.

      1. Roehlano Briones. 2019.Investing in rural youth in the Asia and the Pacific region.IFAD

      https://www.ifad.org/documents/38714170/41187395/18_Briones_2019+RDR_BA…

      This background paper was originally  prepared for the Rural Development Report 2019 “Creating Opportunities for Rural Youth”. It characterizes the structural and rural transformation of the Asia and the Pacific region (APR), highlighting the implications for rural youth opportunities and challenges, and identifying and elaborating on the characteristics, opportunities and challenges related to rural youth inclusion.

      2. YOUTH AND JOBS IN RURAL AFRICA: BEYOND STYLIZED FACTS, by Valiere Mueller & James Thurlow. The book launch Co-Organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) is scheduled on Jan 21, 2020 - 12:15 - 01:15 PM EST 1201 Eye Street NW, 12th Floor Conference Center, Washington, DC 20005, United States

      http://pim.cgiar.org/2020/01/09/book-launch-youth-and-jobs-in-rural-afr…)

    • While looking for the recent references on what are the most appropriate initiatives to facilitate the education-to-labour market transition and youth recruitment and retention in agriculture and food systems’ related activities? that should be considered in this report:

      I found that ADB approved new $400-M loan to back Jobstart program in Philippines. This will support the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DoLE) Jobstart scheme for at-risk youth in Phillippines. JobStart is a five-year-old DoLE program to enhance employability via one-on-one career coaching, technical skills training, and paid internships with private sector employers.The ADB helped design and implement the JobStart pilot project to assist the school-to-work transition of at-risk youth — those who are out of school, unemployed, and not getting any training.Young people struggling to find jobs after they leave school is a persistent problem in many developing countries including in the Philippines. Thus, creating wage jobs for the youth is critical to helping reduce poverty and income inequality in these countries.More than 200 employers have so far partnered with the government under the JobStart program, benefiting more than 20,000 out-of-school youths about three-fifths of whom are women and more than two-thirds coming from low-income households.The ADB and the government of Canada helped fund the pilot program, now,  there are 35 Local Government Units (LGUs) administering the program nationwide in Philippines.

      More Information:

      https://www.adb.org/news/features/giving-hope-young-filipinos-through-j…

      https://www.bworldonline.com/adb-approves-new-400-m-loan-to-back-jobsta…

      https://policyblog.uni-graz.at/2017/08/jobstart-philippines-a-promising…

    • I published," Walking the talk; mentoring rural youth to Make agriculture attractive" at YPARD on 23rd May, 2017. Among several other articles on youth engagement,  I published, "Youth and social media: A leverage for agripreneurship" at YPARD on 31st July, 2018 & another, "Train, engage, employ and retain" published on 28October, 2017 at YPARD . The links of these articles given here:

      https://ypard.net/2017-may-23/walking-talk-mentoring-rural-youth-make-a…

      https://ypard.net/2018-07-31/youth-and-social-media-leverage-agripreneu…

      https://ypard.net/news/train-engage-employ-and-retain

       

      While browsing literature on youth and agriculture, I came across some interesting articles in context of India. I am sharing them here:

      i.How to inspire India's youth to take up farming?

      https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/how-to-inspire-india-s-…

      ii.How Can Agriculture Be Made 'Cool' For India's Youth?

      https://www.epw.in/engage/article/how-can-agriculture-be-made-cool-indi…

      iii.CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP ON “OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH IN AGRICYURAL DEVELOPMENT”22nd–23rd September-2016: REPORT

      https://www.manage.gov.in/publications/youth.pdf

      When analysing all these publications on youth and agriculture, we find some issues very common:

      i. Youth doesnt find agriculture exciting enough, least attractive preposition

      ii. Youth wish to migrate to cities, looking for white collar jobs

      iii. Youth can be retained in agriculture provided agriculture is made attractice by way of provinding financing for youth agriventures

      iv. Handholding required

      v. Value chains attract youth

      vi. Smart farming- being persued by new generation farmers, even those who have no background in agriculture, can lure rural youths

      vii. Youth need skilling, training, mentoring, financing

      viii. Agripreneurs suits more to youth  than a mere farmer

    • This relates to youth access to extension &  advisory services

      In 2013, I published a blog, "Youth: Potential Target for Agricultural Extension" , wherein, I emphasised reorineting extension services keeping youth as potential target. Youth are often more willing to adopt new ideas and technologies compared older generation of farmers,  therefore, agricultural extension services should target youth to transform agriculture.Young farmers often have greater capacity for innovation, imagination, initiative and entrepreneurship than older adults and these characteristics should be effectively harnessed by extension services to provide better livelihood opportunities for youth in agriculture. In India, a number of programmes, initiatives have been taken to engage youth.

      Please visit my blog at

      https://www.aesanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/AESA-BLOG-10.pdf

       

    • When we conduct surveys, often we consult & take into account the views of Head of household, who is generally male & aged.This excludes the young & women who too has stake in agriculture, if not much now but surely they are the future farmers. Once we get their views on the problems and constraints and how they can be supported, then only we can develop policies which support their constructive engagments in agriculture, help them retaining in rural areas to avoid migrating to cities. Youth often find it exciting to work on value chains, rather than just primary production of agricultural commodities. In our youth mentoring programme, we found youth were more excited meeting agripreneurs compared to farmers doing routine farming activities. The agripreneurs were adding value to primary farm products by processing,  packaging and handling marketing even online selling farm products. Many youth are now organizing themselves as Farmer producer groups and enjoy marketing farm products alongside producing farm commodities innovatively. There is need to bring changes in school curriculums to ignite young minds on modern farming practices including export orientations, we need more youth mentoring programmes, handholding to establish them into agribusinesses. We are currently supporting agri-startups, wherein, many innovative ideas by youths are being incubated in research institutions and universites. Young and women are taking lot of interest in agriventures, which gives positive signals for farming sector. Also, many youths with urban background, are now taking up agriculture, often giving up their high profile jobs. These are new role models for rural youths.  Agriculture sector needs more glamour, we have to make it attractive to youth.

      https://ypard.net/2017-09-11/make-agriculture-%E2%80%98cool%E2%80%99-yo…

      https://ypard.net/testimonials/mentoring-rural-youth-make-agriculture-a…

    • I supervised two PhD dissertations: 1. Determinants of rural youth participation in farming (2014), 2. Participation of young women in agriculture: an analytical study of their involvement, attitude and aspirations (2018). Also, I conducted a Rural Youth Mentoring programme in 2017, wherein, 105 youths were mentored to attract them to take up agriculture. We found that youths perceive agriculture as one of the most unattractive profession to pursue. They feel so mainly due to hardships their parents suffer in agriculture, due to risks and uncertainties involved, slow rate of returns and pace of life. With growing influence of media especially the Social Media channels, youth aspirations have gone further up, they increasingly find agriculture lacking in glamour. At the same time a new class of farmers is emerging, that is highly educated, having experienced high profile jobs, mostly without previous experience of farming. Such new generation farmers could be the role models of rural youths, because they are bringing in some glamour in the farming by engaging in modern practices, value addition and innovative marketing of farm products. In our mentoring programme, we invited innovative farmers for delivering lectures and also organized the visits of youth to their farming ventures. Such mentoring activities may help in changing the attitudes of youth towards agriculture. We need young and innovative farmers engaged in farming, doing it a bit differently and earning more profits than merely focusing on more production which the conventional old generation farmers usually do. We would be able to attract farmers, if we could promote, market driven agriculture from production driven farming as more production often doesn’t ensure profits. Youth need various kinds of support viz technical, financial including handholding, which quite often is not available to them.

      Mentoring youth is the key:

      https://ypard.net/testimonials/mentoring-rural-youth-make-agriculture-attractive

      https://ypard.net/testimonials/extension-and-advisory-services-eas-shouldn%E2%80%99t-ignore-youth-anymore

      https://ypard.net/news/mentoring-changes-lives

      https://ypard.net/mentoring