While the first workshop of the series aimed to identify challenges and obstacles faced by smallholder farmers in their capacity-building actions in the framework of climate adaptation, the objective of the second workshop was to come up with viable solutions to the discussed problems and formulate concrete demands to world leaders to improve support for climate adaptation in the agricultural sector. Before the peer-to-peer discussion, the Agrichampions heard from Elizabeth Nsimadala, President of the East Africa Farmers Federation and Director of Women Affairs at the Pan-African Farmers Organization, who gave an inspiring speech about the importance of youth involvement and the need for cooperation in the drive for agricultural adaptation to climate change.  

Elizabeth Nsimadala, President of the East Africa Farmers Federation and Director of Women Affairs at the PanAfrican Farmers Organization.

After they posed their own questions to Nsimadala, the Youth Agrichampions reconvened in the two working groups. Once again, they engaged in lively discussions and worked on further substantiating their demands. At the end of the workshop, representatives from each group presented their demands. While the first group – focusing on “the role of women smallholders in capacity-building” – recognized for example the urgency of fast-tracking the implementation of finance and policies and adapting capacity building interventions to accommodate women´s schedules amongst others, the second group – “smallholders & policy makers/innovations”- marked as a top priority strengthening mediation instruments between smallholders and policy makers to overcome the gap between them.

Both groups came separately to the conclusion that more financial resources as well as political commitment are needed for increased and targeted extension services especially to reach remote communities. 

Over the coming week, the demands will be consolidated. The Youth AgriChampions will then present them at the next and final workshop of the series during which the best-practice projects from the participants will also be announced. Ban Ki-moon Centre Co-Chairs, Ban Ki-moon and Heinz Fischer will join the final workshop on August 24th, 2023. They will accept the demand paper which will be used in Ban Ki-moon’s and the BKMC’s advocacy work to call on leaders to take action on adaptation in smallholder agriculture.