Building an Evidence Base on Rural Youth Employment and Livelihoods

8 May 2018. Webinar. The purpose of the public meeting was to develop a shared understanding of rural labor markets and youth-specific constraints, discuss the evidence base on programs that aim to improve rural youth employment and livelihoods, outline cross-sectoral opportunities to support and empower youth to take advantage of agricultural system market opportunities, and identify knowledge gaps on which U.S. university research partners can generate evidence to address. See the agenda + live webstreaming

Expert panel discussions were held on the following topics:

• A Conceptual Framework on Youth and Agricultural Transformation
• Framing the Evidence Base on Rural Youth Employment and Livelihoods
• Youth Perspectives: Challenges and Opportunities in the Agricultural and Food Sectors
• Youth Productivity: Technology, Mechanization, and Global Value Chains
• Gender Considerations and Youth Employment
• Research, Learning and USAID Programming: The Role of U.S. University Research Partners in Generating Evidence

The meeting wwas chaired by Dr. Brady Deaton, Acting BIFAD Chair and Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Missouri. Expert speakers include Dr. Louise Fox, USAID Chief Economist and Dr. David Tschirley, Food Security Group Co-Director, Michigan State University.


YOUTH PERSPECTIVES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THEAGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SECTORS 
In this moderated panel discussion, youth from around the world discussed their path to success and identify broad challenges and opportunities for other youth working in the agricultural and food sectors. 

• Moderator, Michael McCabe, USAID Youth Coordinator Panelist,
• Ignatius Ahumuza (see picture), Art Planet Academy (Uganda) Panelist,
  Ignatius is the founder of Art Planet Academy, an organisation that has identified the need to create an agricultural school in order to respond to the needs of the community in Uganda and helps in the wealth creation of the community through, farming skills and food security. He is in the venture with a co-founder who is in charge of developing and designing the curriculum.
• Patricia Gichinga (see picture), Producer, Don’t Lose the Plot (Kenya)The creators of Kenya’s first makeover television series Shamba Shape Up have introduced the first agriculture reality TV show in East Africa: Don’t Lose the Plot (DLTP) TV show at PAWA 254

YOUTH PRODUCTIVITY: TECHNOLOGY, MECHANIZATION, AND GLOBALVALUE CHAINS
This session explored how new technology and mechanization could drive value in evolving agricultural value chains and specific implications for youth. 

• Moderator, Aslihan Arslan, Research and Impact Assessment Division, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Presenter, 
• Tom Reardon, Michigan State University Respondent, Loraine Ronchi, World Bank

GENDER AND RURAL YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND LIVELIHOODS

This session examined the evidence on the role of gender and other socioeconomic variables on youth employment and livelihoods. It will consider how gender norms affect the resources, opportunities, and constraints of rural youth, and in particular, adolescent girls and young women, as well as whether working with youth offer opportunities to improve gender equality and female empowerment. 

• Moderator, Catherine Cozzarelli, Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning, USAID Presenter, 
• Agnes Quisumbing, IFPRI Respondent, Sarah Baird, The George Washington University

RESEARCH, LEARNING AND USAID PROGRAMMING: THE ROLE OF U.S. UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PARTNERS IN GENERATING EVIDENCE 

The utility of impact assessments was followed by a discussion on how academic institutions can support the Feed the Future Learning Agenda on youth. 

• Moderator, Rob Bertram, Chief Scientist, Bureau for Food Security, USAID Presenter, 
• Florence Kondylis, World Bank