AGCO Agriculture Foundation (the "Foundation"), a private foundation with the vision to prevent and relieve hunger through sustainable agricultural development, announced a new partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The Foundation is providing a USD 300,000 grant to support the World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Skills Hub program to strengthen youth skills and capacity for sustainable agrifood systems in the Global South. The WFF, launched in 2021, is an independent network of partners hosted by the FAO and serves as the premier global platform to actively shape agrifood systems for a better food future, accelerating the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within this framework, the WFF Global Youth Action Initiative harnesses the engagement, empowerment and employment of young people to provide positive action toward the transformation of agrifood systems.
"Attracting young people to agriculture is essential to create a future to sustainably feed the world," said Roger Batkin, Board Chair of the Foundation. "Through strategic partnerships and programs, our Foundation is helping a new generation of agricultural leaders be ready to tackle the challenges of agricultural and food systems. Our collaboration with the FAO World Food Forum affirms our commitment to building skills and capacity, cultivating knowledge and creating pathways for young people to meaningfully engage in agriculture."
"Formal education programmes often fall behind in preparing young people for leadership roles in the various sectors of the agrifood system," said Kazuki Kitaoka, the FAO Director for the Office of Youth and Women. "We are excited to partner with the AGCO Agriculture Foundation in developing innovative approaches that offer knowledge and skills, equipping youth with the capacities they need to drive a positive transformation of our agrifood systems."
To foster inclusive and participatory ways of supporting skills enhancement of younger people, the project will focus on creating an evidence base for demand-driven skills, increasing access to knowledge and resources and empowering young people to become knowledge brokers who can further share the lessons gained from the program within their farming and entrepreneurial communities.
Source : News Agcocorp