Feedback provided on behalf of the WFP Youth Network
At WFP, we believe that the proposed outline of the report on ‘Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems’ is a great attempt to address one of the most overlooked areas in the food security and nutrition discussion: the impact of broken food systems and agriculture on youth.
However, when discussing agriculture and food systems, we also believe that it is imperative to move away from a purely economic cost-benefit analysis and start considering many other important variables to the discussion. One of them has to do with the significant effects on the household food security and nutrition status of affected population groups in contexts of conflict or crisis settings and complex emergencies.
It is easy to forget that in this context those most affected include vast numbers of children, widows, women headed households and youth, many of whom have disabilities or were great contributors to their local economies and food systems. It is well known the role played by youth in the strengthening of local capacities to address household food security and nutrition issues and presenting solutions or coping mechanisms to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience.
In addition, the approach of any food systems analysis should also include the importance of food assistance support programmes such as food stamp offices, schools’ subsidized meal programs, and any other municipal and county level food assistance programs. For many children and youth in crisis-affected contexts, a meal at school or food assistance kit is the only way to survive in a context where local markets or any other food system component does not exist anymore.
Therefore, suggestions are as follows:
To include a section that explores the linkage between agriculture and food systems in the context of complex emergencies, and the impact of this on young population. This might offer another layer of analysis when the discussion about challenges that youth might face is presented. When taken into account other realities that exist in a more restricted context, such as the one of an emergency, the report can explore solutions about how to better prepare and strengthen food systems in crisis-settings.
To highlight the importance of the food assistance in complex emergencies, and how organisations whose mandate is to fight against hunger have prepared youth to face such challenges.
To broaden the discussion about impact on youth, also incorporating a more gender-sensitive approach, taking into account the role of young girls and women in countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters. Also, it should be noted the impact of broken and dysfunctional food systems on smallholders farmers, many of whom are young leaders.
With the recently launched WFP Youth Network, WFP is seeking to enhance this discussion through and within a group of young colleagues that is spread in more than 80 countries, and has helped the organisation to continue its fundamental work of saving lives and changing lives.
Feedback provided on behalf of the WFP Youth Network
At WFP, we believe that the proposed outline of the report on ‘Promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems’ is a great attempt to address one of the most overlooked areas in the food security and nutrition discussion: the impact of broken food systems and agriculture on youth.
However, when discussing agriculture and food systems, we also believe that it is imperative to move away from a purely economic cost-benefit analysis and start considering many other important variables to the discussion. One of them has to do with the significant effects on the household food security and nutrition status of affected population groups in contexts of conflict or crisis settings and complex emergencies.
It is easy to forget that in this context those most affected include vast numbers of children, widows, women headed households and youth, many of whom have disabilities or were great contributors to their local economies and food systems. It is well known the role played by youth in the strengthening of local capacities to address household food security and nutrition issues and presenting solutions or coping mechanisms to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience.
In addition, the approach of any food systems analysis should also include the importance of food assistance support programmes such as food stamp offices, schools’ subsidized meal programs, and any other municipal and county level food assistance programs. For many children and youth in crisis-affected contexts, a meal at school or food assistance kit is the only way to survive in a context where local markets or any other food system component does not exist anymore.
Therefore, suggestions are as follows:
With the recently launched WFP Youth Network, WFP is seeking to enhance this discussion through and within a group of young colleagues that is spread in more than 80 countries, and has helped the organisation to continue its fundamental work of saving lives and changing lives.