To feed the rapidly growing world population, we urgently need to increase our agricultural production. Intensification of production is though often at odds with environmental sustainability, exacerbated by the adverse effects of climate change. Ironically, issues with population growth seem to converge most strongly in areas that already grapple with ecological and climate threats, food security, yield gaps and lagging economies. To resolve this conundrum, we need, rather than a silver bullet, science-driven multidisciplinary knowledge and innovation processes, with no-discipline-left-behind.
The threats mentioned above may, however, also be opportunities in disguise: yield gaps imply yield potential; underdeveloped value chains and struggling economies imply potential for value addition and economic development; the increasing demand for agrifood products implies growing markets; and population growth holds the promise of demographic dividend. To capitalize on, and shift the balance from threat to opportunity, we need concerted action of all stakeholders. This requires a continuous dialogue and feedback between research and education, and societal stakeholders, to ensure top-notch research and education tailored to adoptable solutions. As an internationally recognised research and education institution, SLU can play a leading role in this dialogue.
Through the theme Efficiency in Farming Systems (EFS) we aim to align and maximise SLU’s broad competences in research and education. This involves active engagements with diverse societal actors on appropriate platforms, and aimed at timely infusion of knowledge-driven sustainable innovation in agrifood. EFS contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals depicted below (no poverty, zero hunger, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production), while having strong trickle-down effects on many of the other SDGs.
ACCELERATE 2017
The first ACCELERATE workshop on Youth, Education & Innovation in Agribusiness for Sustainable Development, took place in Kampala, Uganda, 16-24 August, 2017, with the aim to develop collaborative educational interactions between young agricultural entrepreneurship programmes south of the Sahara and programmes in the north spearheaded by SLU and SLU Global. Read more
Global Youth Agripreneurship and the Agriculture and Rural Management programme
In line with SLU Global’s mandate to increase internationalization in all educational programmes, including the vocational training programmes, SLU Global engaged in a linkup of a group of motivated students from the Agriculture and Rural Management programme in Alnarp. Read more
Youth, Entrepreneurship and African Agriculture Workshop
Key stakeholders from universities in Uganda, Kenya and Somaliland met in a three days’ student and teacher workshop at SLU Alnarp organized by the theme Efficiency in Farming Systems and the Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop production Science (LTV). Read a summary of the workshop here.
Interesting reading on youth and agriculture
An ICT agripreneurship guide: A path to success for young ACP entrepreneurs (ISBN:978-92-9081-613-3)
Youth, Agripreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals
Joint SIANI and SLU Global workshop. Read more and watch recording from the workshop
Theme leader: Teun Dekker teun.dekker@slu.se
Deputy theme leader: Konstantinos Karantininis karantininis.konstantinos@slu.se
SLU Global works through four themes led by researchers, theme leaders, to promote broader and multidisciplinary research and education cooperation within SLU and with external partners. Learn more about our other three themes here:
Teun Dekker, Researcher at the Department of Plant Protection Biology
LTV's global network coordinator, SLU Global
teun.dekker@slu.se, 040-415306