Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 16 May 2017 ― Leading international policymakers, experts and scientists have called for urgent action to engage more youth in agricultural production to tackle unemployment and food insecurity.

More than 100 delegates from different countries gathered at a special high-level seminar on the sidelines of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) 42^nd Annual Meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss approaches to making agricultural production more attractive to the younger generation.

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a youth population bulge. To absorb the employment requirements and transform rural areas and the agriculture sector, there is a need to provide young people with agribusiness and digital opportunities.

The livestock sector is a complex one that touches not only on animal production and agriculture but on environment, health, and land-use rights. Addressing all of these topics within a policy is a delicate task especially where there is a wide range of competing objectives: economic growth, employment, equality, food and nutrition security, environmental conservation and climate change adaptation.

Wageningen University and Research (WUR) hosted a seminar and launch event on 11 May at its campus in the Netherlands to celebrate the second phase of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) and its enhanced partnership with the university. The event brought together over 50 participants and included a lively discussion of the role of the private sector, seed systems and youth during a panel debate.

Matthew Lange from UC Davis put together a nice panel on "The Semantic Web of Food" for the Seeds&chips Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan, 8-11 May 2017.

The panel session was organized by IC3-FOODS and sponsored by SOP Srl. The invited panelists chaired by Matthew were (in order of speaking):

IAAS (International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences) is the biggest student organization in the field of agriculture and related sciences worldwide. IAAS was founded in 1957 and started with only 8 member countries. Today IAAS is made up of:

• 108 Local Committees
• In 50 countries
• Presenting 88 universities 
• More than 10 000 members worldwide

The aims and objectives of IAAS have been defined by the founding of the General Assembly back in 1957, and make up IAAS's mission: 

In developing countries, Agriculture has not only involved men but also relies on women’s contributions for its sustainability within rural economies.

IAAS wants to bring that to mind and has launched: “We Do A Change” (WDAC) photo competition, making “Women in Agriculture” its theme. Share your perspective through your awesome photography and IAAS will showcase it on their Asia-Pacific Instagram account!

CFS 44 Draft Agenda and Timetable out and call for Side Event proposals

The 44th meeting of the Committee on World Food Security is from 9 – 13 October 2017.