National Youth Forum on Agro-based Entrepreneurship Development (#NYFAED15), held on 9-10 January 2015 and organized by YPARD Nepal

1. YPARD, YPARD Nepal & Objectives of
#NYFAED15
Presenter
Dinesh Panday
Nepal representative

2. • A global platform
• YPs under 40
• Active in Agricultural Development
• Multi-stakeholders
• Decentralized movement
What is YPARD?

3. Because youth need…
• To Participate/commit
• Access Professional opportunities
• Be given a voice
• Be interested in agricultural education
• Sustainable Agriculture = their future!
Why YPARD?

4. 1. To facilitate the exchange of information and
knowledge among young professionals across
disciplines, professions, age and regions
2. To broaden opportunities for young professionals to
contribute to strategic ARD policy debates
3. To promote agriculture among young people
4. To facilitate access to resources and capacity
building opportunities
Objectives

5. Youth and experienced professional
- Sectors
• Universities
• Research Institutions
• Donor organizations
• NGOs/CSOs
• Government agencies
• Extension
• Farmer organizations
• Private sector

6. Coordination offices
Global Coordination Unit
at
at
at
at
at

7. Infographic: YPARD in 2014
Interaction with
1002 members
on YPARD Nepal
Facebook group

8. 9 members (+20 volunteers)
Members from universities, research organizations, NGO,
etc.
Regular and active communication between 9 members
Ways of communication
 Google group (ypardnepal@googlegroups.com),
 Google email (ypardnepal@gmail.com) and
 Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ypardnepal)
Working group: Overview

9. 1. YPARD Café and YPARD Awareness Campaign
2. Oyster Mushroom Cultivation Project
3. Farmers Field Trip
4. YPARD Nepal Family Farming Photo Contest
Collaborative activity
ICT4Ag Handprint Challenge Project
2014 Working Activities

10. Nepalese agriculture is undergoing rapid
changes
 experienced human resources are retiring, young
professionals are taking their places, generating
wider gaps in updating agricultural research and
knowledge
 the lack of adequate agricultural workers has resulted
in a growing tendency to farms fallow
 adaptation to climate change has added a further
challenge

11. 1. small but growing number of young people,
reorganizing farming into viable enterprises
through sustainable intensification and
creative marketing
 challenge for agricultural development is two fold—
1. how to expand these emerging sustainable
practices,
2. how to inspire more young professionals to choose
agriculture as a professional career

12. innovation in agriculture represents the most
viable option for addressing youth
unemployment
 to create regular forum for sharing experiences among
farmer innovators, youth entrepreneurs, agricultural
professionals and policy makers
 National Youth Forum on Agro-based Entrepreneurshi
Development (#NYFAED15)
 To discuss the future of agro-based entrepreneurship
development in Nepal

13. #NYFAED15 objectives
1. Identify the steps required for wider involvement of
young professionals in promoting sustainable
intensification and profitable entrepreneurship in the
agricultural sector;
2. Chart the way forward out of mentorship programmes
for bridging research and knowledge gaps in
agricultural system;
3. Generate conceptual tools needed for wider
engagement and contribution of youth in agricultural
development.

14. Statistics from #NYFAED15 Online
Applicants

15. Message from Global Director, YPARD
Ms. Courtney Paisley
Dear attendees of the National Youth Forum on Agro-based
Entrepreneurship Development
With an expected population of 9 billion by 2050 and declining interest
of youth worldwide to take up agriculture, who will feed this growing
population?
Agriculture has an image problem. There is decreasing interest among
youth in entering agriculture related fields due to the persisting
perception that this is an outdated area with minimal financial returns.
However, as young people are exposed to new and alternative ways of
engaging in agriculture, this perception can change as new
opportunities become evident in the sector.

16. Message from Global Director, YPARD
Ms. Courtney Paisley
YPARD was established in response to the young generation’s
increasing lack of interest in agriculture, insufficient participation of
young professionals in addressing critical development issues and
inadequate access to resources to address these issues.
While youth are key to a sustainable agricultural sector, they are
often ignored and undervalued within it. A new approach is needed for
engaging with young people, using their insight to develop innovative
solutions. Young people need to contribute to the creation of their own
future in agricultural development and be instrumental in making it
happen.
Congratulations on hosting such an important event, which has some
very concrete objectives. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of
the meeting and how YPARD can take an active role.

17. Thank You!
www.ypard.net