YPARD - Young Professionals' Platform for Agricultural Research for Development

Background

Current economic models and consumption patterns are highly dependent on the exploitation of limited and often scarce non-renewable minerals and energy sources. This leads to aggressive trade policies and a shift of investment to ever more destructive resource exploitation techniques that are neither ecologically nor socially sustainable. Another so-called solution to scarcity are attempts of substituting certain resources with others - e.g. biomass instead of fossil fuels, the use of noble earths for renewable energy technologies, or increased inputs of water and fertilizer to increase yields on shrinking arable lands.

However, with a growing world population and a consumption-oriented middle class, this approach does not address the fundamental problem of a spiraling demand that has already overstepped the planet’s limited Resources.

International Conferences

In preparation for the Resource Summit to be held inBerlin, Germany in 2013, the HBS offices in Kenya and Ethiopia are calling for applicants from Ethiopia, Kenya, North Sudan, South Sudan, South Central Somalia/Somaliland/Puntland and Tanzania to participate in a regional 3-days residential workshop to be held between  5th - 10th, November 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. This workshop will apply the Future Workshop  methodology to identify topics and innovative approaches of young people with regard to resource policy.

Two to three delegates from the Future Workshop in 2012, shall then be sent to the Resource Summit in Berlin, and the participants of the workshops will engage in national follow-up activities with the HBS offices.