Rome, 2 December 2014 – The Ministers of Agriculture of the European Union and of other Mediterranean countries welcomed FAO’s transformational changes implemented in the last two years, and underlined “the need for continuity in the strategic direction and leadership of the Organization, in order to realize its full impact, also in the Mediterranean area”, as part of final declaration of the Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Agriculture, held in Palermo on November 28th.    

The Declaration of Palermo also encourages “FAO and its partners to upscale regional initiatives on water scarcity, small-scale agriculture for inclusive development and building resilience for food security and nutrition”.

Speaking at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference on Agriculture in Palermo, Italy, the FAO Director-General stressed the connection between agriculture and migration and the importance of investing in strong rural livelihoods, particularly for youth.

“We need to find alternatives to raise the incentives for the youth to engage in rural activities, such as farming, livestock production, fisheries and aquaculture in their own communities and countries,” he said.

Opportunities for rural youth

Increasing agro-entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for rural youth needs to be at the center of strategies to combat poverty and boost development, Graziano da Silva said, referring to rural youth as the future of the agriculture sector, particularly in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries. 

Migration of young people – particularly young men -- away from rural areas has left behind lopsided community structures that have also placed a disproportionate burden on women who stay behind to take care of children and the elderly, he said.

The creation of meaningful and inclusive opportunities for youth in agriculture and agribusinesses will not only impact their lives, but substantially improve livelihoods in their rural communities, the economies and the resilience of their home countries, the region and the world, according to the FAO Director-General.

Special attention needs to be paid to climate change, environmental degradation, and scarcity of land and water in regional cooperation, he added.