4. Legacy
and
way forward

4.5 Youth Declaration

The IYPH ISC commissioned an IYPH youth declaration as an important legacy of the Year. The idea driving the declaration was to bring young people together to express their views on how healthy plants contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to develop ideas for concrete actions to achieve plant health globally and to raise awareness of the topic.

The Youth Declaration was prepared by young people and for young people in order to ensure empowerment and youth ownership of the initiative. In December 2020, the IYPH Secretariat launched an open call for expression of interest to allow interested youth groups to take part in the declaration drafting process. Altogether 26 organizations responded to the call, forming the drafting committee that developed the approach and format of the Declaration. The youth groups had backgrounds in themes relevant to plant health, such as agriculture, biodiversity and climate change, but also to the wider context of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

The IYPH Youth Declaration includes suggestions for concrete actions to safeguard healthy plants globally in seven thematic areas:

  1. the connection of plant health to climate change, food security and One Health;
  2. biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and pest management;
  3. Indigenous peoples and local communities that offer plant protection strategies;
  4. people vulnerable to risks and their significance in maintaining plant health;
  5. global phytosanitary regulations, responsible economic growth and trade;
  6. strengthened plant health education, capacity-building and development;
  7. redirecting capital flows, funding and mobilization of the private and public sectors to support healthy plants.

The Youth Declaration is addressed to young people, the general public, the plant health community, politicians, legislators, government officials, media, academia and research institutes, and national and regional plant protection organizations.

The Declaration was published along with an open letter on the IPPC website, and was presented at the IYPH Closing Ceremony on 1 July 2021. Organizations and individuals can support the initiative by signing the declaration at https://www.ippc.int/en/declaration/youth-declaration/.

The IPPC Secretariat prepared a promotional video with the youth groups involved to promote the declaration on social media.

The IYPH Youth Declaration drafting committee was composed of the following organizations:

  • Agriwin Company Ltd
  • Baho Nanjye Mbeho Company Ltd
  • “El Estuario” project
  • Forestry & Citrus Research Company (FACIR)
  • Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN)
  • Habitat World
  • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Youth Network (IYN)
  • Jamaica 4-H Clubs
  • Lipu – Birdlife Italia (Lega italiana protezione uccelli)
  • Réseau National des Jeunes Ruraux pour le Financement Inclusif de l’Entreprenariat Rural (RJRFIER)
  • Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF)
  • “Save Our House” project
  • SDG 2 Constituency, Major Group for Children and Youth
  • Stewardship Agribusiness Incubation Center (SAIC)
  • Talent Upgrade Global Concept
  • The Institute of Genetics, Physiology and Plant Protection (IGPPP) of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova; Center of Plant Protection
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Major Group for Children and Youth
  • University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture
  • WHYFARM
  • World Food Forum – powered by global youth
  • World Food Programme (WFP) Youth Network
  • Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD)
  • Youth Alliance for Zero Hunger
  • Youth Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  • Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL)
  • Youth Sensitization, Development in Agropastoral and Marketing Cooperative Society (YOSDAMAC)

The IYPH Youth Declaration can be accessed here: https://www.ippc.int/en/declaration/youth-declaration/#a