In discussing the major problem areas faced by rural youth and young farmers, the consultation participants divided the issues into the three categories of 1) Education and Training for Self-Reliance, 2) Support, and 3) Peace/Security/Stability. Each of these broad areas was further divided into several specific sub-headings.
a. Basic education in the rural areas rarely equips young men and women with the knowledge, skills and attitudes which enable them to achieve their full potential as individuals and as members of society. Many rural youth lack functional literacy skills and are unable to cope with the demands of modern-day society. Rural youth are faced with fewer educational opportunities than their urban counterparts and by and large the quality of education in the rural areas is lower than in the urban centres. Rural young women are particularly affected by this situation.
b. Vocational and occupational training is frequently irrelevant to the needs of rural youth and often fails to address the manpower needs in local areas. Responsive community-based training programmes which support the concepts of income generating projects and entrepreneurship are not available to most rural youth. Centrally planned curricula do not take into consideration the different needs in different locations.
c. Decision making in rural societies tends to be vested in older males of the community and views of youth are neither solicited nor considered. Lack of participation deprives young men and women of a sense of ownership and pride in rural development activities. This prevailing attitude is a source of frustration and young men and women feel powerless and are increasingly inclined to migrate to the urban centres. There is a need for training in the techniques of informed decision making.
d. Positive self-image has not been promoted among rural youth who may view themselves as inferior to the seemingly sophisticated young people from the urban areas. Self-image is linked to social, economic and political factors in a complex relationhip. There is a need for young people to be proud of their rural traditions and culture. Training concerning the value of agriculture in the national economy and the worth of an individual who contributes to self-sufficiency and surplus production is needed by rural young people.
e. Cultural identity and values are changing more slowly in rural than in urban areas. However, a gap is growing between rural youth and their elders' values and sense of identity. This manifests itself in the perception of decreased value on manual work, food production, self-sufficiency, savings, conservation, rural morals, traditions and cultural practices. There is a need to perpetuate a sense of cultural identity and rural values.
f. Family life has traditionally provided a stable social unit in which a child grows and develops. The desintegration of the family unit and the preponderance of single parent families in some areas is having a distabilizing effect on many rural yuth. Young people have a developmental need for family support and healthy peer group activities.
g. Population education was identified as an important need among rural youth. With 80% of the world's youth population in the developing countries, there is an undeniable need for population education. The ramifications of increasing numbers of people on the world's food supply and upon those who produce the food should be clearly understood. Rural youth need to be aware of the effects of population growth in the cities and in the rural areas.
h. Career guidance is not available, to the majority of rural youth who have limited and sometimes unrealistic occupational aspirations. For rural youth who are unable or disinclined to farm, a tremendous loss of human potential occurs when career advice is not provided. In both the formal and non-formal setting there is a need for career guidance and occupational advice. Young farmers also need advice in terms of being able to fully participate in modern agro-industry.
i. Volunteerism is a concept that young people need to learn in the context of community service. In some societies volunteerism is a highly developed cultural tradition and in others the concept needs to be taught by example and training. Learning to become an active contributing member of the community is an important part of a youth group programme.
Youth need support from a variety of sources such as family, peers, the local community and government. It is personal and financial support that help build confidence and provide the incentives for rural young men and women to become successful leaders in their communities.
a. Specific national policies and programmes designed for rural youth are a form of support for which there is no substitute. There are exceptional cases where local rural youth programmes have been successful, but these are a result of outstanding individual effort. There is a need for support which is derived from the recognition of the value of programmes for rural youth and the development of specific national policy designed to foster the growth of programmes designed for rural youth and young farmers. It is from beneath this umbrella of national planning that local programmes take root and develop. Support is needed in the areas of training for leaders of programmes for rural youth, incentives for group activities, the allocation of land for individual and group project, instructional materials and teaching aids, public information, and a variety of other support mechanisms. It is a matter of priorities. Unless governments recognize the need to address the needs of this, a majority of the population, programmes for rural youth and young farmers will continue to be weak and ineffective.
b. Financial support is often viewed as the single biggest factor in the establishment of income generating activities and self-employment. For rural youth the lack of financial support is often the difference between success and failure. The availability of credit often depends upon collateral and for rural young men and women the lack of collateral is a very real problem. Rural youth find it difficult to get financial support for individual and collective projects.
c. Informational support is often inadequate and missing in many areas. Rural youth are not considered a target audience by many agricultural extension services and agricultural information is not always readily available. As previously stated, financial support is not readily available to rural youth and this is, in part, a result of inadequate information about credit terms, availability, etc. Youth do not have information channelled directly to them in an organized manner. Young women are particularly disadvantaged in this respect. Being young and female puts them out of the mainstream as being a recipient of information on agriculture, credit, farm management, business practices, etc. Youth need support through a systematic approach to the dissemination of appropriate information that is delivered in a timely, acceptable manner.
d. Recognition is a form of support that requires an awareness of what youth can and are doing and it gives value to youth themselves and their products. The lack of recognition causes young people to lose their enthusiasm for both group and individual activities. Youth need to be encouraged and motivated. Recognition of youth as a valuable resource and visible demonstration of their individual worth can be accomplished with good planning and very little expense.
e. Channels of communication and a structure for participation and expression are forms of support that are needed if youth are to have a role in the planning and decision-making that is needed for a participatory approach to rural development. Youth need support in establishing well-designed fora or channels through which they can express their need, concerns and suggestions. Two-way comnunication allows for organized decision-making with all points considered. The frustrations of not being heard can be eliminated through the establishment of channels where the collective voice of youth can be heard. Communication also involves the establishment of a rural/urban dialogue which promotes an appreciation and understanding of rural living and the conditions affecting agricultural production. Farm prices are continually at the mercy of a powerful urban voice that calls for less expensive food and fibre products. There is a need for support in explaining why the lack of incentives is resulting in reduced surplus production by small-scale farmers. As succeeding generations of urban dwellers get further from the realities of agricultural production, there is an increased need for agricultural awareness programmes.
f. Legal support is lacking in that there is often no effective structure for the advocacy or defence of the rights of youth between the ages of 15 and 24. Youth are often under paid and they are subject to many forms of exploitation. Legal advice is often not available on issues such as borrowing money, the need for collateral, acquisition of land, personal rights and defence against discrimination and expoitation.
g. Logistical support in the form of market outlets, transportation linkages, communication networks are needed to reduce the feeling of isolation that exists in the minds of many rural young peple. The lack of amenities in the rural areas needs to be overcome so that the "push" away from the rural areas has a more limited effect.
h. Minority and special interest groups receive little or no support in many countries. The disabled are often not able to cope with training situations designed for the able bodied and the result is that without training there is little opportunity for employment. There is need for support through affirmative action designed to consider the circumstances of young women, minorities, special interest groups and the disabled.
Governments have the responsibility to provide youth with a stable and peaceful environment. Youth are greatly affected by the conditions in which they live and function and they are quite clearly concerned about their opportunities for training and gainful employment. In times of instability, the basic need for an opportunity to learn and develop is lost.
a. Employment security is a given for most government workers. For many landless rural youth, "government" employment is the goal which precludes any thought of woring on the family farm or seeking to be self-employed in a rural, non-farm job. The security of a family farm is, to some, not attractive and to the landless, a goal as impossible as the "government" job. For the millions of young people who have no land and no opportunity to be a civil servant there is an unpredictable future in a situation where instability and insecurity have led to low levels of education and high levels of unemployment. In Africa alone, there will be an estimated 400 million young people to educate and prepare for the world of work between 1985 and the year 2000. Preparing for work implies proper training and employment opportunities as a pair of inputs necessary to meet the need. It is perhaps possible to meet this goal in a stable, secure environment. It is utterly impossible in an unstable situation. For rural youth, whose education is generally inferior to that of urban youth, employment security is an over riding concern. The availability of jobs, unfavourable working conditions, the lack of full-time employment, under-employment, and the lack of opprtunity for further training and promotion are all part of an uncertain future for rural youth.
b. Resources in the form of access to land, water, guarantee of credit, market information, technical information are forms of security which young people need. Without these necessary inputs rural youth cannot get started or maintain their enterprises as young farmers.
Those who work with young farmers and youth in the rural areas are often not highly trained, not well paid and not satisfactorily supported. The problems faced by these workers range from lack of transportation to lack of a clear cut definition of what is expected to be accomplished through prorammes for rural youth. The participants in the consultation have identified the following as the areas of greatest concern to those who work with rural youth and young farmers.
The broad areas of need identified by a group of experts who work with youth programmes bear certain similarities to the problems faced by youth. There are needs for training, for support, and a secure place in which to live and work. In general, if both youth and adults have satisfactory education and training, if they are adequately supported, and if they have a stable atmosphere in which to work much can be done.
The experts identified the major needs of those who work with programmes for rural youth and young farmers as follows:
Without exception the participants identified a need for youth workers to be better trained. It was felt that many leaders of youth groups have no professional training in how to work with young people. In some cases, they may have training in technical agriculture or another discipline, but more likely than not, they have no training in how to work and communicate with youth. Participants cited a need for pre-service, induction and in-service training. The development of teaching aids was also cited as a need accompanying the lack of syllabi and reference materials for use in pre-service and in-service courses. Induction training was cited as necessary in explaining what is expected of an individual who works with rural youth and what the worker can expect in return.
Specific Areas Where Training Is Needed:
a. Developing a philosophical base as a pre-requisite to working with rural youth and young farmers is comparable to the need for a foundation before a house is constructed. Unless the leaders of rural youth programmes at all levels are firmly grounded in the value of youth work and how to bring out the full potential of young men and women, they have no mutually understood starting point for development. Youth workers from the national to the local level need to know what is expected, who can be served, how to operate, the value of youth work, how they will be evaluated and they need to have a clear educational philosophy. The development of a philosophical base for youth work in any given country must be an integral part of the training programme and a first step in programming for the future. The leaders and organizers of youth programmes must develop their own clearly defined approach to working with youth. In the process there is a need for discussion, debate and consensus. Youth as a group are not a technical subject matter, but rather a complex audience with needs cutting across many subject natter areas. Youth workers require a strong grounding in the social sciences as well as strengths in technical subject matter areas. Programme content varies from country to country and programmes need to be developed around a sound philosophical base. Youth workers should see themselves as members of a team including other youth workers, workers in related agencies and the youth themselves. Organization is critical for effective youth work. Structure, functions and roles must be defined and it is only when these are firmly in place that youth can be mobilized to execute tasks. Youth respond to sincerity. Youth workers cannot gain the confidence and respect of the young by remaining on the periphery; they must become involved. The successful approach to be adopted evolves out of an understanding of the norms and expectations of youth.
b. Developmental stages of youth are of great importance when dealing with different age groups in a community setting. Salaried and non-salaried youth workers should be provided with learning opportunities too better understand the steps of human development which include social, psychological and educational needs.
c. Needs assessment is an area of leader training that can help the organizers of rural youth programmes in determining accurately, the real and perceived problems within the community. Relevant programmes which address locally identified needs have a much greater chance for success. Assessment should be ongoing and provide the basis for further programme planning and the modification of goals. Assessment of the local situation should include an information gathering, planning and implementation role for the youth of the community.
d. Programme planning and evaluation implies a youth workers' active role in an on-going process that follows assessing the needs within the local community. There is a need for training that leads youth workers to the point where they are active in planning community -based programmes that can be evaluated against a set of objectives derived from local conditions. Responsive programmes do not come from the national level. They are planned at the local level with the help of the local people.
e. Communication skill training is needed so that leaders can learn the various communication strategies and methodologies which may be used in a variety of situations where there are limited resources, different educational levels and different media available. There are many rural youth and only a relatively few programme leaders. Effective communication at the least cost is necessary. The principles of mass communication and distance education need to be understood and employed by persons working with rural youth.
f. Training in the Teaching/Learning Process is essential if working with rural youth and young farmers is to have a lasting effect. The long-term goal of having youth learn something of value which may be applied in an income generating and/or food or fibre producing situation is difficult to accomplish. Youth workers need to understand and be able to use the principles of teaching and learning that are action oriented and use the problem solving approach. Young people learn best through their own actions and involvement. Learner centred educational programmes, whether in the formal or non-formal setting, provide the opportunity for students or group members to act to improve their own situation instead of being told what to do in a teacher oriented sitation. Youth leaders need to learn more about their roles as educators in the non-formal rural setting.
g. Technical training needs of youth workers are of particular concern in many developing countries. Up-grading and the learning of new skills are a necessity if the leaders of programmes for rural youth are to be kept current and able to offer advice and assistance that is of value. Programmes for rural youth generally serve young people who voluntarily join the group. Unless youth programmes ace led by vigorous well-trained leaders and have something useful to offer, the young people simply stop participating. Technical training should be based on the situation within the local area and the leaders of local programmes can be very helpful in identifying the needs and organizing the training, if training specialists are supported by a national coordinating body.
The leaders and organizers of programmes for rural youth and young farmers suffer from a lack of support that manifests itself in many ways. Because youth are often viewed as an audience of secondary importance, financial and logistical support for the leaders of youth programmes is weak. Local, district and national level government officer need to be able to travel and work with groups of young people if a high degree of success is to be expected. Support needs discussed by the consultation participants can be summarized as follows:
a. Financial support for rural youth and young farmer programmes is a reflection of value and priority given to the work. Without financial support youth programmes may look real on paper, but suffer from lack of incentives and regular leadership, a condition which invariably leads to disinterest on the part of the young people. Salary schedules for village level workers who direct youth programmes are nearly always low resulting in a negative effect on the morale and enthusiasm of each worker. Youth are a tremendous resource, yet those who work to develop this resource ace underpaid and poorly supported.
b. Logistical constraints are especially prevalent in rural areas which lack community services and facilities for young people. The lack of transport for those in charge of youth programmes results in desk bound officers who cannot reach their clientele. In many cases even bicycles would allow village level workers to function effectively in their local areas. Without transport, national and district level officers have difficulty performing their supervisory and in-service training tasks.
c. Career opportunities are a form of support that the leaders of rural youth programmes need and request. The opportunity to develop a career pattern with increasing responsibilities and challenges often does not exist in youth work. In dismay, the successful rural youth leader finds he must leave the youth field for "more important" adult work if he is to be considered for promotion and career advancement. As one of the participants said, "How strange that in a world where over half the population is under 25, a leader of youth programmes must change careers and work with adult programmes if he or: she is to progress up the career ladder."
d. Instructional Materials and Teaching Aids are a form of support that is easy to identify and difficult to find in quantity. At the local level, the problem is compounded by the need for grass roots materials in local languages. There is a need for the development of new materials and the judicious use of available materials that can be adapted and translated for local use. Information available to the leaders of youth programmes is often aimed at urban audiences. The limited amount of material and information for use by the rural youth programme leaders is generally produced by technical ministries, reflects ministry policy and does not focus on mobilizing programme young farmers and rural entrepreneurs. There is need for support in developing instructional materials for use with youth and there is a need for instructional materials and teaching aids for use in pre-service and in-service training for the leaders of rural youth programmes.
e. Clientele support comes from involving the intended audience as participants in the planning, implementation and evaluation stages of a programme. The leaders and organizers of rural youth programmes will strongly support activities that they have helped to plan. Top- down programmes planned at the national level will enjoy less enthusiastic support than programmes which have involved the youth workers at the planning level. Rural youth will lend support in a similar manner. There is a need for youth to strongly support programmes intended for them. This kind of clientele support comes only through the process involving participants at all stages of programme development.
f. Encouragement and motivational support comes from subordinates, peers and supervisors. Its intrinsic value is that it can be freely given and can play a major role in the way people perform in their roles as youth leaders or ministers. There is a need for support in the form positive reinforcement and encouragement. When salaries cannot be upwardly adjusted, there is a need for morale boosting encouragement and motivated support.
The consultation participants identified a peaceful, secure and stable environment as a pre-condition for productive work. Major items under this broad heading include:
a. Employment conditions which permit rural youth workers to maintain a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their families. These conditions must be comparable to workers in other fields with similar educational background and experience.
b. The need for peace was identified as a condition for which there is no substitute. War robs countries of their youth and creates conditions where the only goal is peace. Only after a peaceful environment is established can there be concentration on learning how to live for the future.
It is unfortunately true that rural young people in the developing countries cannot make themselves hoard and their interests are not being well served by government planners, educational systems and the social services that should be catering to their needs. Within the ranks of rural youth are the future food producers and the bulk of the population who will serve the agricultural industry. It is from the rural population base that the future agricultural leadership will emerge. These young men and women deserve more than the marginal health services, the irrelevant schooling and the lack of general amenities that they now enjoy.
In addressing the question of how governments can best address the situation in a comprehensive manner, consultation participants identified the lack of appropriate policy, strategy, priorities and support as contributing to the difficult situation faced by rural young people and the organizers and leaders of programmes for rural youth and young farmers. Some difficulty arises in trying to make blanket suggestions on how government planners should attempt to include programmes for rural youth in five-year plans or other similar documents. No two countries are alike, but it was recommended that the initial step for governments to take is a careful analysis of the current situation. Such benchmark studies set the stage for objective discussions of the situation and lead to the setting of priorities and the delegation of reponsibilities foro fugure work. It was the feeling of the consultation participants that the starting point for all governments, no matter what the level of their current programming, is a thorough review of the present situation and inter-ministerial discussions on procedures and responsibilities for the future. Through sharing their own programme experiences and direction, participants discussed a series of steps or areas for consideration. The following suggestions are presented, not as an all inclusive mandate, but for consideration when and where they fit within the local cultural, political and economic constraints. These suggestions are presented as thought provoking ideas based on experience and need.
It is recognized that without strong government support, the isolated successes of a few talented and resourceful individuals will have only limited effect. Government recognition of the value of programmes specifically designed for rural youth and young farmers can lead to the establishment of well-defined policy and a framework for action. When youth are viewed as a resource and not just a source of problems, the task of setting a national course may be more readily achieved.
Rural youth policy must be established based upon well documented need. Studies such as the ones done by Onyango in Kenya and Wongsamun in Thailand establish a base from which planning can start. It is important to let young people express their felt needs and help in the building of programmes to meet these needs. The assessment must also include what is currently being done at the national, district and local levels.
Government leaders should take the lead by establishing inter-ministerial working groups which can address the problems through holistic programmes involving the cooperation of more than one ministry. This is not an easy task, but the needs of youth cut across the jurisdictional areas of several ministries. It is only through Inter-ministerial collaboration, no matter how difficult, that the needs of youth will be met. Ministries of Education, through the schools, must come to grips with how to educate with self-reliance as a goal. School learners need the necessary skills for survival in systems where less than ten percent of those who finish elementary school go on to secondary level. Non-formal educational programmes under the auspices of Ministries of Education; Ministries of Agriculture; Ministries of Social Welfare; Ministries of Youth, Culture and Sports play a very important role and should do so in a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the problems of youth in a collective manner. At no time will this be accomplished without a coordinated effort based on a well conceived plan jointly prepared by the parties involved. Inter-ministerial collaboration and cooperation is imperative if sensible national policy is to emerge.
The value or importance of good training for the leaders and organizers of rural youth programmes can hardly be overemphasized. Leaders of rural youth and young farmers programmes at the village level need training in both technical subject matter and methodology of working with young people. Educational institutions need to design curricula in which the competencies (skills, knowledge and attitude) required for working with rural youth can be learned.
a. Pre-Service Education
Pre-service education is the programme of learning for individuals before they start their professional careers. Pre-service training for agricultural extension workers, home economics extension workers, teachers, social workers and others involved with youth should include specific information and learning opportunities associated with youth and how to relate their needs and aspirations. How to work with youth should be an integral part of the curriculum in institution where technical training is given at the certificate, diploma or degree level. Extension agents, for example, should receive instruction on how to reach and work with rural youth and young farmers as a part of their training in general extension methodology such as communication skills and programme planning, implementation and evaluation.b. In-Service Education
In-service education is the training (formal and non-formal) that individuals receive while they are employed. In-service education or training related to working with youth must be directed at at least two separate groups. Those who are currently working with youth need in-service training and up-dating on current trends and issues. The second group of persons to whom in-service training on rural youth work should be directed are members of faculty and staff in the educational institutions where potential leaders of youth programmes are being prepared. If pre-service training on the techniques of working with rural youth is to take place the lecturers in the training institutions will need in-service training on how to best teach the subject.In-service education can serve the purpose of providing training where none has been received earlier and in-service can also be used to provide periodic up-grading in terms of learning new skills and understanding new materials.
c. Induction Training
Although a relatively small amount of attention is drawn to induction training, it is one of the most important aspects of new employees' introduction to their jobs. Induction training should include a review of the terms of service; an honest appraisal of career opportunities; programme planning, implementation and evaluation, and a thorough discussion of what is expected of each new employee.
It is through adequate and continuous government support that sustained programmes for rural youth and young farmers can be maintained. The frustrations of inadequate support and low priority for youth programmes manifest themselves through low morale and inactivity on the part of programme leaders. The three broad areas of financial support, logistical support and organizational support, were identified as major areas of concern by the participants. Each of the general areas were discussed in detail and are summarized as follows:
a. Financial Support
Government financial support for rural youth and young farmer programmes is needed in several forms and at least two levels. Financial support is needed by i) youth groups in the form of incentives and credit to start income generating projects. Rural youth are almost universally without access to credit or support funding. Government financial assistance is needed in the initial stages of organizing project oriented groups. A lack of "start-up" funds is often a major reason for inactivity among groups where there is a potential for income generating activities. ii) the leaders and organizers of youth groups in the form adequate salary, travel and housing allowance, social security and health benefits and, in general, terms of service on a par with other civil servants.b. Appropriate Logistical Support
Governemnts must supply logistical support if youth programmes are to be adequately serviced by their leaders. The provision of transport for official travel is necessary as youth group leaders are asked to work in several villages. Transport need not be luxurious. In some cases bicycles can facilitate rural youth work at the village level. The key words are "appropriate logistical support" and each situation calls for an accurate appraisal and response. Adequate office space, secretarial support and office supplies are needed. There isi an on-going need for government support in the development and distribution of teaching aids, instructional and demonstration materials, and other materials which can be used for project support. In addition, there is a need for village level workers to get together to discuss their similar programme activities and programmes and there is a need for logistical support for periodic in-service training.c. Government Support
Organizational support in the form of government recognition of the value of programmes for rural youth and in assistance to both governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGO) is needed. There is a need for affirmative action programmes which work toward creating equal opportunities for disabled youth and other minority groups. Recognition and achievement programmes for rural youth represent an investment in the future. The encouragement of professional improvement associatioins and the involvement of volunteers leaders in youth programmes represent organizational support which can come from government commitment. Support for rural youth programmes must come from a moral and financial commitment on the part of government officials who believe that young men and women in the rural areas represent an underutilized and underdeveloped national resource of unlimited potential.Internal Conflict and social and economic upheaval has a debilitating effect on individuals involved with rural youth and young farmer programmes. Organizational support is unattainable in countries where political and economic strife offer little hope to rural youth who are faced with unemployment, underemployment and no realistic hope for the future. International youth year with its theme of development, participation and peace could not come at a more appropriate time or bring a greater challenge to those who are concerned about the future. Solutions must come through national commitment to a better future.
The consultation participants recognized that FAO can, when requested and with reasonable limitations, provide technical assistance to programmes for rural youth and young farmers at the country and regional level. Under the broad heading of technical assistance, the participants recommended that FAO consider the following in helping to strengthen programmes for rural youth and young farmers in low income countries.
FAO is in a position to respond to request for advice and assistance from member nations. Participants felt that technical and procedural advice on national policy and programmes and other related activities such as national level workshops, seminars, round-tables would be a particularly helpful role for FAO to play. It was stated that situational studies on rural youth and young farmers were helpful in determining the needs and concerns of rural youth in individual countries. FAO consultants were identified as being useful in project formulation missions where assistance was being sought from bilaberal and multi-lateral international aid agencies. National level planning meetings were sighted as activities which would benefit from FAO assistance.
FAO acting in a catalytic role is in a position to stimulate an increased level of activity related to rural youth programmes. The promotion and support of short term activities such as meetings, consultations, project formulation missions can be very helpful as the impetus leading to renewed support for youth programmes.
Because of FAO's access to information from all member nations, there is an opportunity to act as a collection point and clearinghouse for information on rural youth activities. It was recommended that FAO develop a global directory of Rural Youth and Young Farmers Organization. The proposed FAO Rural Youth Newsletter was strongly endorsed as a way to exchange information and ideas that work.
The Consultation participants recognized the need for instructional materials and teaching aids at the village level for youth groups and a similar need for materials on how to work with rural youth at the extension agent training level. It was further recognized that village level materials would need to be carefully selected and field tested so they would meet local needs. It was felt that FAO was in a position to collect instructional materials from al1 countries and to help in the identification of publications which would be useful. The development of a reference mamnual on how to work with rural youth and young farmers was endorsed as a worthwhile activity. The need for such a manual was confirmed and participants commented on the use of the manual as a part of the methodology training for extension workers.
There are two areas of in-service training where FAO can be particularly helpful. In-service training is needed by the organizers and leaders of programmes for rural youth and young farmers. There is also a need for in-service training at the lecturer level where extension workers and other persons are being trained. The lack of trained, enthusiastic leaders of programmes for rural youth was cited as major problem in nearly every country. In-service training was suggested as an area where immediate impact could be made in terms of strengthening programmes for rural youth. The large numbers of village level workers make direct FAO in-service training difficult, and the training of trainers was suggested as the most likely course of action for in-service programmes to follow.
The second area of training suggested was that of fellowships and study tours for upper level planners and administrators of rural youth programmes. It was felt fellowships and study tours should be a project related activity.
There are several countries where relatively well-organized rural youth programmes ate functioning. There are times when much can be gained through cooperation between two developing countries. This type of visitation/exchange activity was recommended as an appropriate FAO supported activity.
Concluding Statement
Programmes for rural youth and young farmers suffer from a series of problems reflecting the lack of direction and solid support at the national level. FAO's first and largest undertaking must be to get government officials to recognize the value of rural youth as a national resource and to assist in the planning, implementing and evaluation. As a part of the process, national round table discussions and planning sessions would precede the in-service training that is almost universally needed.
