VI. WORKSHOP 4: PRIORITIZATION OF CAPACITY NEEDS

Participants were asked to identify capacity needs/gaps that they think should be addressed as priority. The following were the priority capacity needs/gaps identified:

·       In terms of Organization Capacity:

a)     Capacity to develop the entrepreneurship skills of farmers;

b)    Capacity for business incubation;

c)     Capacity for market analysis;

d)    Need to mobilize/organize Young Farmers Cooperatives at the village level;

e)    Need to engage government (e.g. Farmers Affairs Committee) to develop policy and programs dedicated for young farmers;

f)     Need to organize Sub-sector Working Groups on Youth in Agriculture with representatives from GOs, FOs and CSOs); and

g)    Need to conduct “Young Farmers Forums” for young farmers in the rural areas to facilitate discussions and actions towards developing support for said sector.

·       For Individual Capacity:

a)     Capacity of rural youths in establishing and managing agribusiness ventures;

b)    Skills and knowledge in accessing land and developing said land;

c)     Skills and knowledge in organic farming;

d)    Need to expose young farmers to best practices/models of RAI through on-the-job trainings; and

e)    Management skills for running individual and collective farms.

·       Enabling Environment:

a)     Government credit support and subsidy for young farmers;

b)    Land access policy; and

c)     Policy that will allow young farmers access to markets at the national and local levels.