Why YPARD?
Why YPARD?
By Dr. Lennart Prage
 Dear Colleagues, dear friends, young ones and older, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me start with a picture which stays clear in my head. I know I share it with other people in this room:
In April 2005, a large number of ARD stakeholders met in Zurich, Switzerland, for the meeting of the European Forum for ARD. A few of us (including Bala) were standing at the back of the plenary session hall, looking out over the auditorium. What we saw were grey-haired men around 60 year old and older; almost no young people, few women. The meeting was about the future of agriculture. It was so obvious that the age profile has to improve.
There are already many organizations and institutions addressing agricultural research for development – a number of them are represented here at the GFAR meeting. So why should we need another organization?
Why YPARD?
Because the key issues for our common global future and development are of greater and more urgent concern to the young, who are going to live with them at least 50 years into the future and will raise children who will live with these and other issues beyond that. I am talking about concerns which relate to the sustainable use of natural resources, i.e. to ARD: climate change, poverty alleviation, food safety, health, water scarcity, soil erosion, etc.
YPARD is needed because
agriculture needs younger and more attractive faces. Although we will be more and more dependant on efficient and sustainable agriculture, fewer and fewer people want to deal with it. This is a global trend which we have all seen. Agriculture no longer attracts young farmers, students or researchers. YPARD might change that.
YPARD is needed because
young people are more open and therefore more likely to cross borders (geographically and disciplinary) than established professionals, who generally are more or less stuck within their structures. Innovative solutions to the ARD-related problems require trans- and multidisciplinary approaches as most of the problems go beyond geographical borders.
YPARD is needed because
young people are actually doing much of the work, which is later reported by their seniors in meetings and publications. Therefore, they are often much more updated about the realities of the problems and the methodologies than their peers. It is therefore a waste of competence not to involve them.
YPARD is also needed because
young professionals seldom get possibilities and resources to participate in meetings, networks and other fora where ARD issues are discussed and developed. Such possibilities are almost exclusively available to their seniors. YPARD can work to change this imbalance.
Finally, YPARD is needed because
there is a ‘younger’ perspective on the ARD issues, for reasons which I have already mentioned. This perspectiv should be seen and heard to give better and more complete views on key issues of ARD. In Sweden, there is now a discussion to lower the age limit for the right to vote to the parliament, from 21 to 18 years of age. In this context, it seems appropriate to give well educated professionals increased weight in the dialogue between juniors and seniors among ARD stakeholders.
Let me return to my picture from the auditorium in Zurich one and a half year ago and to compare it with the picture I get now. When I look out in to this room, I feel happy; I see the beginning of a change when I look at the YPARD group, very visible among us, grey or silver haired-ones. I am really proud and moved to stand here at the moment when YPARD is launched. Remember ‘You must be the change you want to see in the world’ (Mahatma Gandhi)
Good luck YPARD. You are needed!
Thank you
Dr. Lennart Prage
Head of the External Relations in Uppsala
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
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