Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture Rural youth

IICA launches challenge to create the Rural Youth Community of the Americas

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The project encourages youth across the hemisphere to propose ideas and solutions for overcoming post-pandemic challenges in agriculture.

El IICA anunció el desafío durante el Foro virtual: Juventudes rurales al frente de la nueva agricultura.

San Jose, 14 August 2020 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) launched a Rural Youth Challenge, aimed at developing proposals for creating the Rural Youth Community of the Americas.

The Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero, participated in the launch event for the challenge, which is seeks to encourage youth between the ages of 18 and 35 in the Americas to propose joint ideas and solutions for overcoming post-Covid-19 challenges in agriculture.

“This is a great opportunity to acknowledge the role of youth as agents of change who can participate actively in the development of rural territories and in making informed, conscious and proactive decisions to meet their needs and interests”, noted Otero upon announcing the challenge on International Youth Day (August 12).

“We must better capitalize on the demographic bonus represented by this population; ours is a young continent. We acknowledge rural youth’s leading role and positive outlook for the new agriculture, which must be renewed and modernized to become more equitable, sustainable and inclusive”, added the Director General during the virtual forum entitled “Rural youth at the forefront of the new agriculture”, which was organized by IICA on that date.

Individuals participating in the challenge must develop an innovative and viable proposal for establishing a Hemispheric Rural Youth Community. The project must describe specific activities to foster networking, the joint development of solutions, the strengthening of interactions and the participation of rural youth.

IICA launched the call for proposals with support from Bayer, Cenfotec University, the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (AEI), the Latin American Organization of Young Agro-entrepreneurs (OLAJ) and 4-H Clubs.

Participants may register for the Rural Youth Challenge until 12 September at http://desafio-innovacion.iica.int (Spanish) or http://desafio-innovacion.iica.int/en/ (English).

Participation in the call for proposals is free. The first-place winner will receive an award of USD 3,000.

 

More information:
Institutional Communication Division of IICA. 
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
genero.juventud@iica.int

Share

Related news​

São Paulo, Brazil

April 10, 2025

Key players from the sustainable aviation fuel sector, addressing the Latin American Congress, maintained that if the region establishes clear rules, it has the potential to lead the world in SAF

The Americas has the potential to become a global leader in supplying sustainable aviation fuels, although to do so, it will need to establish clear rules and to harmonize its sustainability criteria governing the raw materials used, ensuring that processes are certifiable and science-based.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Nairobi, Kenya

April 10, 2025

IICA Director General, Manuel Otero, is in Kenya – strengthening agreements to fuel agricultural productivity through science, technology and innovation 

AGRA and CIMMYT are two of the most important organizations in the world involved in research and the promotion of science and innovation as key tools for agricultural transformation.   

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Panama City, Panama

April 10, 2025

Ethanol: key input for agroindustry and the decarbonization of Latin American transportation

Ethanol: key input for agroindustry and the decarbonization of Latin American transportation

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins