Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines – Excitement is in the air as the First Asia-Pacific Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics (YFCA) gears up for a spectacular event at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Laguna, Philippines from 12-16 August 2024. This event will bring together 120 young farmers, fishers, pastoralists, and forest-users from 20 countries across Asia and the Pacific region to embark in an agrilympics, promote sustainable agriculture, foster agricultural innovations, build networks, and highlight agriculture as a viable career.
Organized by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), the International Cooperative Alliance- Asia Pacific, and the Pacific Farmers Organisation (PFO), the YFCA will provide an opportunity for the delegates to participate in a week-long series of activities centering on the theme of strengthening engagement of young farmers’ in cooperatives and organizations to contribute to safe, just, and resilient food communities.
In the Philippines and across the Asia Pacific region, the future of family farming faces a double threat: younger generations are becoming less interested in farming due to the many challenges it presents, and the impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector, such as recent strong typhoons and prolonged droughts, make the challenges even greater for the future generation of farmers.
The first Asia-Pacific YFCA aims to address these issues by raising awareness about farming as a viable career for young people. It seeks to encourage youth participation in cooperative and organizational governance, showcase innovative agricultural initiatives, facilitate exchange and learning between young farmers and mentors, and inspire the formation of a platform or network of young farmers in the region. The event will also showcase the young farmer entrepreneurs who are pioneering the transition to climate-resilient farming across the continent.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENT
The event will begin with a Parade of Nations, celebrating the diversity and unity of young farmers from across Asia-Pacific, followed by the lighting of the cauldron to officially open the camp. Inspired by the World Olympics, the delegates will embark on an Agrilympics, where they will engage in games that incorporate elements of agriculture. The delegates will also participate in hands-on workshops covering topics such as digital agriculture, forestry management, and organic farming. They will also have opportunities to network, showcase their innovations, and pitch their ideas for agricultural development, with the best pitches potentially receiving support from YFCA’s institutional partners.
KEY PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS
The First YFCA is co-organized by the Philippine Working Group composed of: The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) | Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) | Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Training Institute (DA-ATI) | Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)| Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) | AgriCord| German Cooperative and Raiffeisen| Confederation (DGRV) | VSO International | ComDev Asia | Gugma PR | Philippine Family Farmers’ Agriculture Fishery Forestry Cooperatives Federation (AgriCOOPh)| Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) | Kalipunan ng mga Maliliit na Magniniyog ng Pilipinas (KAMMPIL)
This event is supported by the Asia-Pacific Farmers’ Program and Farmers Organization for Asia, a program implemented by the consortium AFA and La Via Campesina and co-funded by the European Union and International Fund for Agricultural Development. The event is also supported by the Strengthening the Implementation of Regional and Local Peace and Development Agendas in Mindanao (SPADe) Project, which is also implemented by AFA.
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