Youth Shaping Sustainable Food Systems Workshop in Eastern Africa

Most countries in Africa are undergoing rapid urbanization bringing with it fresh opportunities as well as creating new challenges arising from the transition.

From the perspective of urban and peri-urban agriculture, classic practices are changing too due to a combination of socio-economic factors such as shifting consumer and market preferences, access to new tools, digitalization, constraints on land and water resources as well as decreasing interest in farming by the young generation. Effective and efficient solutions for increasing sustainable agriculture at city-region scale are needed to ensure access to nutritious food, safeguard natural resources and ensure viable opportunities for the next generation of farmers in the agri-food sector.

A key goal must be to increase capacities of young progressive farmers in sustainable agriculture practices that can lead to sustainable development and stronger rural and urban linkages. This can start new partnerships at the local level, promote systematic youth farmer-oriented training on good agricultural practices, new urban markets opportunities and peer-to-peer exchange for young upcoming farmers to learn from each other while improving access to services, and opening new possibilities for resource mobilization.

YPARD is collaborating with FAO and Rikolto to organise this interactive workshop where young farmers can interact, learn and share best practices, with a focus strengthening rural and urban linkages for sustainable food and agriculture.

Young people involved in agricultural activities in Uganda, Kenya, DRC, Tanzania and Rwanda will be attending a training and knowledge sharing workshop that will be held in Mbale, Uganda from 25th to 29th March 2019. This is a Training and Knowledge Sharing Workshop for Young Progressive Farmers to Promote the Urban Food Agenda in East Africa.