The Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL) is a cross-sectoral youth partnership between the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD), the Global AgroEcology Alliance (GAEA) and IFSA. Together, these organisations represent over 50,000 young people working and studying within agriculture, forestry and agroecology. Its mission is to unite and empower young people from diverse backgrounds around the world to have a public voice, and to create positive change for sustainability of their landscapes and community livelihoods.

YIL is the focal point, as well as the coordinating and advisory body for formal youth engagement in the activities of the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF). Moreover, it is a charter member of the GLF. Since its establishment in 2013, it facilitated more than 10 major youth programmes, involving in total over 1000 youth directly in capacity building workshops and international experiences. By providing a global platform to connect, educate, and inspire passionate young individuals, youth organisations, and youth supports, YIL became one of the key stakeholders in youth engagement within the environmental sectors.

IFSA’s Engagement

As founding member, IFSA plays a key role in any decision of YIL, and is represented in its Steering Committee (SC) by the IFSA President and the Liaison Officer for YIL. Through the partnership, IFSA engages closely with the GLF, and provides IFSA students with the opportunity to participate in YIL programmes and GLF conferences for free, facilitate sessions, and even speak on stage. Furthermore, IFSA oftentimes directly shapes or facilitates youth sessions and capacity building workshops in collaboration with the GLF. In the past, IFSA members have interned and worked with GLF through their previous engagement in YIL.

Examples of Youth in Landscapes / IFSA activities are the Paris Youth Initiative in 2015, when 50 youth were invited for a 1-week training, the Nairobi Leadership Programme in 2018, when 100 youth leaders from Africa worked together in a 4-weeks online and on-ground engagement, or the Youth in Landscape Camp in Ghana, 2019, where young leaders gathered for an exhaustive 5-days experience.

Elivis Omoit is the Head of CIFOR Sub-Commission and also manages the partnership with YiL