On December 9 to 13, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations conducted a training of trainers (ToT) in Bangkok to strengthen the capacities of its partner AsiaDHRRA to engage youth in responsible investment in agriculture and food systems in the region. The ToT brought together 24 members of the AsiaDHRRA network from Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Viet Nam, Thailand and Philippines.

This ToT had two main objectives. The first was to enhance understanding among participants on the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI), the first global agreement that specifies what constitutes responsible investment in agriculture and food systems. As well as other regional policy frameworks that provide guidance on the topic, such as the Asean Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry. This will enable members of the AsiaDHRRA partnership to increase advocacy in their respective countries.

The second objective was to train AsiaDHRRA members on the use of the FAO Rapid Capacity Assessment Tool: Empowering youth to engage in responsible investment in agriculture and food systems. This tool is designed to support the application of the CFS-RAI Principles at country level, with a particular focus on Principle 4 “Engage and Empower Youth”. It helps practitioners to conduct multi-stakeholder assessments of existing and needed capacities to involve youth in responsible investment in agriculture and food systems.

“The capacity assessment tool allows for the analysis of 4 key areas: the institutional set-up for agricultural investment-related policy processes; policies, laws and incentives; organizations and services that empower youth operating along agricultural supply chains; and individual capacities to empower youth in agriculture,” informed Michael Riggs from FAO.

“This ToT provided us with the opportunity to understand the tool in depth, including how to prepare and deliver national workshops. Applying the tool in our countries will be pivotal to identify key challenges and opportunities and draw up a roadmap to unlock the potential of young agri-entrepreneurs,” said Mags Catindig, Program Manager of AsiaDHRRA.

The global context

FAO estimates that achieving the first two SDGs - eradication of poverty and hunger - requires a steady investment of USD 140 billion per year in agriculture and rural development. Yet, it is essential to ensure that investment is sustainable and benefits all stakeholders, following the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI).

In parallel, involving youth in agriculture is a pressing challenge. Today, few young people see a place for themselves in agriculture due to barriers such as inadequate access to land, credit and markets. In addition, they are affected by high unemployment rates and often migrate from rural areas looking for better opportunities.

Through the Umbrella Programme “Supporting Responsible Investments in Agriculture and Food Systems,” FAO helps different stakeholders apply the CFS-RAI at country level.

Challenges

Mr. Cezar Belangel, Program Manager of AsiaDHRRA reflected that “the challenge is not only to increase investment in agriculture, but to ensure “better” and responsible investment.” Furthermore, he said that, “the world needs to produce more safe and nutritious food, but our farmers are getting older; and young people tend to reject the idea of working in agriculture because of perceived hardships and low income potentials. Who will produce our food in the future?.”

Mr. Maung Kyaw Khaing Htoo, Young Farmer member of Lin Yaung Thit Farmer Organization, Myanmar “we need support for capacity assessment, I hope that more agri group will come to support young farmers.”

With his experiences in the community, Mr. Siripol Penghom, a young farmer from Thailand and Coordinator of Return Homeland Volunteer, encouraged the participants especially the youth to “have positive thinking over the issues in agriculture”, and shared that, “I see farming as my happiness. What I do in the community is for my life and my family, if there is a disaster, I will not starve. But knowing about RAI, I want to know more and develop myself”.

For Ms. Ho Thi Thoan, lecturer at North Vietnam College of Agriculture and Rural Development (NVCARD), Vietnam emphasized the importance to strengthen and empower the youth in RAI, “Because this is the future and it is long term, so we need to start young."

“We can engage young people in agriculture if we improve support systems like credit facilities, land tenure, rural infrastructure, modern agricultural facilities, etc…agriculture is not only on matters related to agricultural production, but it involves all the other services around it including product quality improvement, mechanization, information systems, market consolidation, packaging, processing, etc.,” said Mr. Belangel

Way forward

In 2020, AsiaDHRRA network, CamboDHRRA, MyanDHRRA, LaoDHRRA, VietDHRRA, ThaiDHRRA and PhilDHRRA will organize and conduct capacity assessment workshops in their respective countries as part of their initial move in integrating and embedding RAI and youth in their strategic plans and programs.

Moreover, it was highlighted in the workshop the importance of: a) cooperation with private sector, government sector, and to maximize different platforms; b) investment in case documentation; and c) translation of basic RAI materials to national languages, in order to advance the advocacy agenda related to RAI and youth.

FAO and AsiaDHRRA will organize a Regional Forum on Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems in order to promote further dialogue and share challenges and lessons learned in the application of the CFS-RAI in the region.