Platform Topic: Rural Youth Employment
Genna Tesdall, Director of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), shares her own experiences leading a global, youth-led organization.
Sebastian Pedraza is the Latin America Country Coordinator of Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) and the Chair of the YPARD Board. He shares his experiences both growing up in a rural environment and now working with rural youth to give them opportunities and a voice in their futures.
The world's agrifood systems stand at a crossroads. With 1.3 billion youth globally, the future of food, livelihoods, and economic resilience depends on their participation in agrifood systems. At the same time, agrifood systems need youth to drive productivity, innovation, and sustainability in a crucial and rapidly evolving sector. FAO's "The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems" report is a call to action.
Youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing global challenges, particularly in developing countries where demographic pressures, limited job opportunities, and insufficient formal job creation make it difficult for young people to secure decent work. This webinar explored how development banks are aligning their strategies with the need for innovative solutions to create lasting opportunities for youth. Discover the key messages and insights.
Investing in Youth: The Role of Development Banks - A webinar by the Thematic Working Group on Rural Youth Employment.
The Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) releases its 2024 Annual General Assembly (AGA) report, titled Financing Food Systems Transformation and Rural Revitalization: Opportunities and Challenges. The emerging messages are especially significant in light of the rapidly evolving donor environment, and underscore the urgent need to rethink the financing agenda for 2025 and beyond.
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The 2nd United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from July 28-30, 2025. Building on the momentum of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the first Stocktaking Moment in 2023 (UNFSS+2), this event will focus on accelerating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems transformation.
The Global Donor Platform for Rural Development is a vibrant partnership, advocacy and knowledge network of key donors focusing on food security and rural development.
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