The Strategy was created on the basis of lessons learnt from the last 5 years, the 2025 External Review, a Global Members' Survey and in-depth Members' Consultations.
The thematic focusses stated in the Strategy thus reflects our members across all levels- local, national, regional, global.
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YPARD strives for a future in which youth engagement in agrifood systems is meaningful and characterised by youth leadership. This requires youth engagement in agrifood systems moves from the lowest levels of engagement (youth manipulation or tokenisation, based on Hart’s ladder of participation), up to the highest level of meaningful engagement: youth as leaders, responsible programmes from initiation through implementation and evaluation.
Engagement of young people must also acknowledge the dynamic nature of youth; youth are more likely to migrate, both nationally and internationally, than any other group. Youth leadership must also recognize the plurality of youth identities and professions, celebrating the individual while recognizing we only achieve change through collaboration, teamwork, and trust.
Agroecology is a holistic approach to agrifood systems that integrates ecological principles with social and economic factors to create sustainable agrifood systems; it is often described as a science, practice and social movement.
Agroecology offers numerous opportunities for youth by linking stakeholders across the value chain and merging local knowledge with science, innovation, and technology. Youth are best positioned for this holistic transformation that involves innovation and knowledge sharing.
But for young people to be meaningfully involved in an agroecological transformation, we require access to resources, education, networks, and an enabling environment, engaging us both at the negotiating table and in the fields.
The YPARD community believes a lack of decent green jobs and livelihoods, not simply a lack of positive perceptions of agrifood systems careers, is the most important factor driving young people out of agrifood systems professions. YPARD defines decent green jobs and livelihoods as those which allow young people to care for ourselves and our families without sacrificing our own well-being; this demands working conditions are safe and healthy, both physically, but also psychologically.
Young people must be able to take leadership in our areas of work and effect change; decent green jobs and livelihoods also encompass jobs which do not compromise our most deeply held values and ethics.
YPARD understands nutrition-sensitive agriculture as:
“agricultural development that puts nutritionally rich foods, dietary diversity, and food fortification at the heart of overcoming malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. This approach stresses the multiple benefits derived from enjoying a variety of foods, recognizing the nutritional value of food for good nutrition, and the importance and social significance of the food and agricultural sector for supporting rural livelihoods."
We also understand nutrition-sensitive agriculture as food justice; those growing nutritious, healthy, agroecological or organic food should also incorporate them into supporting a healthy diet.
Crosscutting themes apply across all thematic areas and in all YPARD programmatic priorities to ensure inclusion, coherence, and sustainability.
Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Land are inseparable environmental topics, and acknowledged by the focus of the three Rio Conventions. YPARD understands biodiversity preservation and restoration as essential to land stewardship within and beyond agrifood systems, and indispensable to the efforts of climate mitigation and adaptation and land preservation and restoration.
Gender equity and inclusion of traditionally marginalized groups: All work in YPARD should be upheld by the pillars of rights, equity, agency, and recognition. YPARD thereby works to uphold the rights of traditionally marginalized groups, promote their equity through our policies and programs, agency through its governance structures, and recognition through internal and external communications.
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