National Youth Forum on Agro-based Entrepreneurship Development 2015

#NYFAED15 - National Youth Forum on Agro-based Entrepreneurship Development 2015

Nepalese agriculture is undergoing rapid changes. While a large number of experienced human resources are retiring, young professionals are taking their places, generating wider gaps in updating agricultural research and knowledge. Besides, the lack of adequate agricultural workers has resulted in a growing tendency to farms fallow.

Adaptation to climate change has added a further challenge for agricultural development in Nepal. However, there is a small but growing number of young people who are reorganizing farming into viable enterprises through sustainable intensification, and creative marketing. In this context, the challenge for agricultural development is two-fold: how to expand these emerging sustainable practices, and how to inspire more young professionals to choose agriculture as a professional career to replace retiring farmers.

To combat this, innovation in agriculture -farms, agro-based processing and marketing- represents the most viable option for addressing youth unemployment. It is crucial to create regular fora for sharing experiences among farmer innovators, youth entrepreneurs, agricultural professionals and policy makers.

According to this, YPARD Nepal with Multifarious Consultancy and Research Centre (MCRC) Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu, Nepal’s support calls for applications from Nepalese youth to participate in the National Youth Forum on Agro-based Entrepreneurship Development (#NYFAED15) that will take place from January the 9^th to the 11^th, 2015 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

OBJECTIVES

#NYFAED15 will bring together around 40 young professionals currently involved in   agricultural extension and research, farming and marketing, as well as finance and public policy to discuss the future of the agro-based entrepreneurship development in Nepal. #NYFAED15 seeks to:

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 the agricultural system;
3. Generate conceptual tools needed for wider engagement and contribution of youth in agricultural development.

EXPECTED PARTICIPANTS

1. Young university level students from Agriculture, Veterinary, Forestry, Environment Science, Business Administration/ Studies, Sociology and Rural Development Studies;
2. Young professionals (18-40 years of age) from youth empowering NGOs, microfinance, private sector; entrepreneurs and young farmers;
3. Young agricultural professionals from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS)/ the Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU)/ the Himalayan College of Agriculture Science and Technology (HICAST) and other related research institutions.

APPLICATION

To apply for the National Youth Forum on Agro-based Entrepreneurship Development, simply complete and submit the online application form at the end of the page.    

Deadline: 25^th of December, 2014.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We select 40 participants on the basis of the quality of application forms. Our selection will take into account the need for a scientific, geographical and gender balance. The participants will be asked to actively participate during the youth forum in various working groups.

Selected participants will be notified by the 30^th of December, 2014.

TRAVEL ASSISTANTSHIP

Limited travel assistantship is available.

For any queries, please write to: nyfaed15@gmail.com or ypardnepal@gmail.com