CSAYN and Partners Launch the Innovative Program Titled: AFRICAN YOUTH SDGS TRAINING

In the margins of the Means of Implementation of Agenda 2030 towards rolling out the SDGs in January 1st 2016, the Climate-Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN) Global Coordination Unit (GCU)  is organising the Launch Event of the African Youth SDGs Training Program (AYSDGT) in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre of UN Department Public Information (DPI), World We Want (WWW), Association des Femmes pour la Paix et Encadrement des Famille (AFPEFAM), Soughtout Cameroon (SOC), Environmental Protection and Development (EPDA Cameroon) and Collectif des OSC pour la Sécurité Alimentaire et le Développement Rural (COSADER).

Purpose:

To come up with proposals for mainstreaming youths in the implementation of the SDGs in local languages and to develop the road map for the implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by all UN Member States.

WHAT:

A launch event of the African Youth Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Training Program on the theme “Mainstreaming Youth in the Implementation of the SDGs”.

From the document:
http://www.un.org/en/zerohunger/pdfs/15-19891-E-EOSG-Climate-Summit-2014%20final.pdf

Mainstreaming Youth and Persons Living with Disabilities in Climate Smart Agriculture

Climate Smart Alliance Youth Group (CSAYN): Current partners:

• CANA (the Climate and Agriculture Network for Africa)
• the Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network (SUN CSN) and
• farmingfirst.org

Announcement

The main objective of the project is to create awareness, sensitize and build capacity in young people and persons living with disabilities on climate-smart agriculture concepts to increase food production. It will visits to colleges, young farmers and youth clubs, organize media talks, TV shows, presentations and seminars on climate-smart agriculture and organize site visits, drawing competitions, essay competitions related to climate-smart agriculture. This is a new initiative to promote and enhance youth and people living with disabilities mobilization and advocacy in ensuring no one is left behind before, during and after the summit.

Targets and Milestones

To educate and train as many young people as possible in the smallholder farming community, including people with disabilities, regarding the various climate-smart agricultural techniques and technologies, to support the goals of the Zero Hunger Challenge (ZHC). The first milestone was creating several local and active country chapters of CSAYN, which have launched activities in four African countries and having prelaunch organizing meeting and the first climate-smart farmer-to-farmer field school event in Canada. The next milestone included connecting with existing organizations in Africa and globally, such as CANA, which will be the official CSAYN website host; the Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Network (SUN CSN); and farmingfirst.org, which will post information about CSAYN events and activities and provide CSAYN with key information about its own network member events and activities. CSAYN’s next milestone will be to coordinate a series of climate-smart farmer-to-farmer field school events across all active CSAYN country chapters, as well as defining and developing a series of guidance documents for all the CSAYN country chapters to provide them with a framework for interaction with the CSAYN-GCU and other organizations.

Progress Review

Baseline

The baseline was to launch CSAYN activities by January 2015, which was achieved.

Current Status

CSAYN has launched activities in Togo, DRC, Cameroon and Nigeria. Plans are under way in Canada for the official launch in October. CSAYN is one the leading and most active youth groups recognized by the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA). CSAYN is collaborating with CANA, SUNCSN and farmingfirst.org. CSAYN has also signed the ZHC and looks forward to its implementation. CSAYN has engaged with the UN Water for Life Decade to assist in scaling up the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programme. CSAYN was invited to present during the Global forum for Innovations in August 2015 in Abu Dhabi. CSAYN is also translating the 17 Sustainable Development Goals into vernacular languages that are relevant within all of the CSAYN chapter countries. CSAYN was sponsored by the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) to participate as a panellist in the Third UN Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa.

Expectations for the Future

CSAYN anticipates becoming one of the official implementing partners of the Sustainable Development Goals, working with organizations such as SuSanA and educational organizations, on programmes focusing on SDG 2, Zero Hunger. CSAYN considers all its activities can easily be scaled up as the focus is to work from the ground up, directly with communities and youth, including farmers, to train them on climate-smart techniques, technologies and programmes.

Geographic Coverage

CSAYN has expanded its activities into four key African countries—Cameroon, DRC, Nigeria and Togo—and had a pre-launch organizing meeting in Canada. CSAYN is also in the process of discussing the organization of various other country chapters.

Capacity to Deliver

Implementation strategy includes focusing on

1) the Climate Smart Farmer-to-Farmer field school events across all active CSAYN country chapters and

2) defining and developing a series of guidance documents for all of the CSAYN country chapters to provide them with a framework for interaction with the CSAYN-GCU (Global Coordination Unit) and the various other organizations, including government and institutional and civil society organizations in each respective country that they will be interacting with.
Governance structure of CSAYN currently consists of the CSAYN-GCU.

Monitoring

The monitoring process has been announced via e-mail with colleagues. CSAYN has plans in place to eventually put a monitoring and evaluation framework in place, but CSAYN may require some funding assistance in order to implement a sufficiently rigorous monitoring and evaluation framework for the global network. The specific structures and mechanisms for monitoring the activities of the CSAYN network have not yet been fully defined, and CSAYN’s commitment has not yet been logged with NAZCA.

Contact: Mr. Divine Ntiokam ntiokam2@gmail.com

 

 

AFRICAN YOUTH SDGs TRAINING LAUNCH REPORT

ASSOCIATION DES FEMMES POUR LA PAIX ET ENCADREMENT DES FAMILLES
Synergie, volonté, épanouissement.
Récépissé de déclaration n° 00000395/RDA/J06/BAPP

THEME : MAINSTREAMING THE YOUTHS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SDGS  

 

On Tuesday, December 29th 2015, the African Youth SDGs Training Program was launched at AFPEFAM’s head office at Mendong Visite technique with 30 participants from youth and women groups, Civil Society Organizations and other associations.

This report summarizes all the activities that took place during the event, including the event’s main objectives and expected outcomes.

I- The strategy and rollout of the training :
It started with a welcome speech by Mr.Ntiokam Divine who initiated the Program.
Mr. Divine briefed on the main objectives as well as the expected outcomes. He stressed on the need to:
 Ensure youths are well informed and own the 17 SDGs, which should be translated into local languages to enhance communication effectiveness.
 Establish SDGs Clubs in schools (nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions) in order to read a broader target audience.
 Endorse all trainees as SDGs Ambassadors within their respective communities.

Mr. Divine later on briefed the participations on the historic MDGs, the new post-2015
development agenda and emphasized the contributions of the MY World2015 global
survey, which fed the 17 SDGs.
Thereafter, Mrs. NGOUYAMSA AWAWOU, president of AFPEFAM.Gave an
overview of AFPEFAM’s mission and activities and underscored that they were proud
to be selected in Cameroon to collaborate with other partners to translate SDGs into
local languages.

Hernandez Nsangou NJIFON and Guy ABOGO volunteers at AFPEFAM explained in more details the transition from MDGs to SDGs,listing the various thematic areas that were missing in the MDGs but have now been incorporated in the in the SDGs. They jointly shared their experiences and motivation in translating the SDGs into Shupamum and Ewondo languages. Ntiokam Divine later on reminded participants to take note of the 3 pillars of SDGs ( Social development, Economic development and Environmental sustainability) and the 5Ps of SDGs namely: (People, Planet, Partnership, Prosperity and Peace).
Mr.JeanNjita, the Director of the UN Information Centre in Cameroon advised participants to own the SDGs through disseminating in local languages and to explore better means of communication.

Mr. Njita also mentioned that the training marked a huge step forward towards the start of the SDGs implementation from January 1st 2016.

Additionally, he thanked the volunteers for their support for the UN System in Cameroon and for wanting share the SDGs Story in local languages. Such a move, he noted, would enable the inclusion of the most marginalized communities in the process. He reiterated that the 2030 agenda will have two follow-ups and review mechanisms in 2020 and 2025
respectively.
He said: « we shall have another world, the world we want, a better world for the
future generation »
A coffee break session was coordinated by Miss. Pam Gaelle who ensured that everyone had a bottle of water for refreshment before the next phase of the training.
The next phase was the oral reading of all 17 SDGs, which had been translated to Ewono, Shupamum, Basaa and pidgin by Mrs.Toua Berthe, Hernandez Nsangou, Oum Gerald and Tabi Joda respectively.

II- Results and a way forward :
The main objectives of the training were met: all participants shared their comments and contributions after the training. Participants asked questions regarding what next actions to take after the training? Mr. Jean explained in detail reassuring them that 2016 is a year of sensitization and mobilization of all Cameroonians in support of the SDGs.
Mr. Njita reaffirmed the support of the UN System in Cameroon for the historic and innovative program, encouraging all participants to keep the ball rolling.

Finally, all participants took pledges by signing on the white cloth for references.

 

Report drafted by: Hernandez Nsangou, and Ntiokam Divine
For more details about the programme, contact ntiokam2@gmail.com

The Water for Life Decade celebrates CSAYN

CSAYN featured on Page 12 of UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC) 2005-2015 Summary document.
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade

Page 12 – International, Cameroon
• 1st International Competition IlustraMaxima. Saure Publishing

• Climate-Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN-Cameroon)

Climate-Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN) ‘s goal is to educate the youth and people living with disabilities on climate-smart agriculture practices, increasing agricultural productivity, and promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation.
CSAYN has joined the Water for Life Decade’s campaign. Affiliate groups have been launched in Cameroon, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo.

The Event in Pictures

CC explaining CSAYN concept to the CAMPOST representative

Visit to the stand by members of the public

Population at the graduation ceremony

Dr Njoya and the Volunteers

Group Picture

Founding members (from Lto R) CC Anoncho Valentine,
Nkeh Zita, Dr Njoya Mases

 

CSAYN-Canada Climate Smart Farmers “Field School” event

A joint CSAYN – Biochar Ontario event

When: Saturday July 11, 2015 (1pm – 4 pm)
Where: Trent University, Field Experimental Station
Peterborough, Ontario http://www.trentu.ca/
Who: Biochar Ontario & CSAYN-Canada

A summary of the demonstrations at the Trent University Farm
After LUNCH we performed a Live Biochar Production Demonstration at the Trent University Farm, starting with:

o Lloyd Helferty (MC), Introductions [~5min]

Lloyd opened up the day by introducing Biochar Ontario and CSAYN-Canada, and also providing an overview of the concept of “Climate Smart Agriculture” and how Biochar fits into the overall concept of Climate Smart Farming and Food production systems.

o Mitch Gold, Opening Ceremony [~10min]

Mitch did our Opening Ceremonies by telling everyone the story of the Eagle and the Condor and then blowing the conch shell in the Four Directions, North, East, South, and West.

o Prof. Dr. Raul Ponce-Hernandez, D. Phil., Environmental Program, Trent University [~15min]

Raul gas us an introduction to:
 the Trent U “Sustainable/Climate Smart Ag and Food Systems Program”
 the Sustainable Agriculture Field Experimental Station [Trent U. Farm]

Raul provided us with an excellent overview of the Trent University Farm and the programs that both the professors and the students are involved in. His take home message:
“We need to get some concrete outputs. The younger generation wants real action; to put something concrete on the ground.”

o Harry Ha, Small stove demo & talk on integrated bio-energy / district energy [~30min+]

Harry gave an excellent demonstration of his char-producing “stove”, and even cooked a “meal” of instant noodles for us to sample. His stove was a new design based on the Top-Lit-Up-Draft (TLUD) principles, but with a “hybrid” design that included both an inner and outer ring of biomass.

A Data logger was connected to Harry’s stove during his demonstration, provided courtesy of Julien Winter, so that we could obtain values for the heat / energy that is produced by the stove during the burn. The maximum
temperature of the burn was almost 700 degrees Celsius.

Harry’s stove design resulted in the production of biochar in the inner chamber only, while the outer chamber burned to ashes. His biochar is expected to be very high pH with high ash content.

After the biochar was “washed” (the ash rinsed away), the biochar looks very nice. The ash can still be seen clinging to the char, which indicates that this biochar should be suitable for acidic soils, which is typical in tropical countries like Haiti, where Harry has also been doing some experiments with biochar and humanure composters.

Harry then explained for us his concepts for the creation of a Combined Heat and Biochar (CHAB) system that could be designed to produce “District Energy” in the form of Heat and possibly also Electricity, as well as biochar.

o Julien Winter, Large system Demo [~30min+]

Julien explained to us his more traditional TLUD design using large barrels, and all of the many scientific experiments that he has done to measure their performance.

Julien then performed a demonstration of char-making using a TLUD and vertically-oriented wood sticks.

Julien also explained the operation of this much larger 55 gallon TLUD design, with afterburner, to the delight of all the audience members, who unfortunately could not see it in operation since the burn time would have been too long and we were running out of time. He did show us the very clean biochar that resulted from his burn using the smaller TLUD and the vertical wood sticks.

Julien delighted the audience members with his talk.

o Don Trott, Words of advice for farmers [~10min]

Don then gave us his own advice and experience as a farmer in the Ottawa Greenbelt who has been dabbling with biochar for the past several years.

o Lloyd Helferty, Inoculation talk [~20min+]

Lloyd then gave a brief, and slightly controversial, talk about the “optimum” methods of preparing biochar for use in soils. This led to an exchange between Dr. Ponce-Hernandez and himself regarding the “proper” way to prepare and utilize biochar for maximum benefit in Canadian soils. Biochar is obviously a new science!

We then wrapped up the day with a final photo shoot for the young farmers in attendance at our event.

Along with a final “offering” to the “Soil Gods”…

THE LAUNCHING OF CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE YOUTH NETWORK CAMEROON CHAPTER

Venue : Bamenda University, Cameroon

CSA invites to consider these three objectives together at different scales – from farm to landscape – at different levels –  from local to global – and over short and long time horizons, taking into account national and local specificities and priorities.

The CSAYN-Cameroon is a group of inclusive volunteers who have strong interest in Climate-Smart agriculture, food security and resilience.

Focus:                                                                  

It is envisaged that CSAYN-Cameroon will be

1. A food security and nutrition focused, agriculture-driven and action-oriented coalition of entities committed to incorporating climate-smart approaches encompassing all scales and types of agricultural systems, across all climates and approaches to farming, including crop, livestock, fishery and forestry activities, providing farmers an innovative toolbox of options from which to choose;
2. A broad, open and inclusive, platform focused on action, knowledge and practice sharing and learning, that inspires its members, promotes far-ranging dialogue that encourages concerted advocacy, and where all relevant voices can be heard;

iii. A voluntary association whose members hold a joint interest in both food security and nutrition and climate change, support the adoption and implementation of climate-smart agriculture, and provide regular updates on progress toward their individual and collective aspirations.

CSAYN-Cameroon is made up of 7 partner institutions ranging from CBOs, NGOs, Universities and Government institutions. The founding members are the following Anoncho Valentine, Dr Njoya Moses and Nkeh Zita Ngwenyi. We come together once a week and draw up a plan of activities for the next week.
In view of the launch, the following plan of activities was earmarked: 

ACTIVITIES BEFORE THE LAUNCH

Activity	Responsibility	Deadline
Preparatory meeting	Valentine, Njoya, Zita	Friday 28/11/2014
Budget for the event	Valentine, Njoya, Zita	Monday 1/12/2014
Email to IUCN for radio contact	Valentine	Monday 1/12/2014
Development of Flyer and banner idea	Valentine	Monday 1/12/2014
Contact to some local Radio stations to cover event	Njoya	Tuesday 2/12/2014
Mobilize Volunteers	Njoya	Tuesday 2/12/2014
Location of Stand for the event	Njoya	Thursday 4/12/2014
Design and printing of flyers and banner	Valentine	Thursday 4/12/2014
Printing of t-shirts	Valentine, Njoya	Thursday 4/12/2014
Collection of T-shirts and banners	Zita	Thursday 4/12/2014
Snacks for the event	Zita	Thursday 4/12/2014

Presentations

CSAYN and the networks	Njoya	Friday  5/12/2014
CSAYN Cameroon Its Focus Advantages and opportunities Zero Hunger Challenge	Valentine	Friday 5/12/2014
Aquaculture and climate change	Zita	Friday 5/12/2014

Launch Proper:

The launch of the CSAYN-Cameroon chapter took place in the University of Bamenda during the Matriculation and graduation ceremony. These events witness the participation of over 13.000 people coming from all parts of Cameroon. Targeting this event, we saw an opportunity to make CSAYN known all over Cameroon.

Early on Friday morning, the banner and T-shirts were picked up and taken to the Campus of the University of Bamenda. At about 10am, the stand for CSAYN-Cameroon was installed with the various documents on display. By 10:15am the T-shirts were distributed to the participants. Participants included university students from the various departments, and members of the public.

Next on the line were Presentations:

The first presentation that dwelled on the CSA network was presented by Dr Njoya Moses. He elaborated on the reason behind CSA, CSAYN and the entire network. Followed was the presentation by Mr Anoncho Valentine that explained the Genesis of CSAYN-Cameroon chapter and welcomes the participants into the new vision of sustainable agriculture in the face of climate extremes. He went further to explain that CSAYN is an all-inclusive forum that leaves no youth behind. Be you handicapped, short, tall or from which class, ethnic or religious background, if you are motivated, you can be part of CSAYN. The purpose of this launch he went further to explain was to

• Raise awareness on climate smart agriculture among young people to enable them make sustainable decisions for the future in the agricultural sector.
• Raise awareness on the present and future threats to climate change and agriculture
• Educate the young people on the contributions they can make in the sector through the application of climate smart practices in agriculture, aquaculture and forestry.
• CSAYN will carry out ZERO Hunger Campaign in schools, market places and hospitals to scale-up the eradication of malnutrition among youth and people living with disabilities across Cameroon.

Mrs. Nkeh Zita closed the presentation sessions with a talk on the role Aquaculture can play in climate change mitigation. There is no doubt that with the coming of CSAYN to Cameroon, there will be a great relieve for the youths in particular and the people of Cameroon in general who love agriculture. adding to the fact that it is going to alleviate poverty. In Cameroon today most people prefer and consume fish which is a cheap source of protein. This has led to a high demand for fish due to increasing population whereas fish produced in the aquaculture sector together with imported fish cannot meet the needs of the people in Cameroon. This she elaborated is a great opportunity for the young people to engage in Aquaculture because there will always be mouths to feed. Therefore she concluded that adopting innovative fish farming methods will increase productivity and at the same time mitigate the effects of climate change.

The question and answer session followed the presentations and each presenter had the opportunity to respond to the questions in their domain.  At the end of this activity, the flyers were handed to the volunteers who went about distributing the flyers. A total of 500 people visited our stand with great interest on our vision.

The event ended up with pictures that caught the highlights of the ceremony.

Conclusion:

Challenges faced by the CSAYN Cameroon

• No fix office for now
• People desire to see activities on the field
• Financial constraint

Evaluation meeting:

Way forward

Prepared by : Anoncho Valentine; Reviewed by : Dr Njoya Moses
Validated by: Mrs. Nkeh Zita

 

ACTIVITIES SUMMARY CSAYN-DRC 2014 – 2015

I. Official Launch of Climate Smart Agriculture In DRC
(Held at the House of Knowledge in Kinshasa, 30 January 2015)

The main objective is to arouse young people’s interest in the importance of agriculture and environmental issues in the DRC but also inform young CSAYN the launch of the network in the DRC.
The specific objectives of the workshop were to:
– Launching the activities of the branch of CSAYN – DRC
– Projecting the actions to be undertaken during 2015 in the DRC;
– Introduce facilitators and accompanying partners CSAYN DRC.

 

II. Brainstorming Workshop

Congolese youth face the challenges of climate change
Objective
The Objective of this workshop was to bring Congolese youth to realize themselves and reflect on the challenges of climate change in the context of their country in particular and World in general.

 

III. Champs-Peasant School

A promising approach for young unemployed Kavumu School Champs-Paysan (CEP) is an approach that was developed in the years 1989 in Indonesia by FAO with the aim of forming rice farmers in integrated pest management. The CEP is a method of community education and participatory extension; it is a school without walls where the agri-farmers learn by observation, per share and experiment in their own fields. This is not to educate farmers rather to empower them and make them capable of making their own decisions. And they become experts in their own fields.
The project objectives were to teach young people (65 young unemployed Kavumu / SOUTH KIVU) good agricultural practices, organize youth group of producers, train and educate youth on the fundamentals of economic law marketing of agricultural products and to develop in the young the idea of support through work.

 

III. Integrated management of soil fertility

Basis for sustainable agricultural intensification in Kabare / South Kivu
Today in South Kivu, the loss of soil fertility greatly hampers agricultural production. Indeed, in the Kabare territory, with a few volcanic regions, soils are incapable of producing good crops. This inability to produce soil is mainly due to the soil regularly operating without following the fallow period, water erosion and the low consumption of fertilizers to compensate for losses often experienced soils.

From 7 to 9 August, 2015, in collaboration with CSAYN, NEW DAY association and Hope Land asbl Congo Kabare organized a mobilization meeting on the integration of the concepts of intelligent agriculture in farming practices. During the interview, farmers have shown that soil fertility decline is a limiting factor in agricultural production and it is imperative to find a solution for this problem.

Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) is a solution that can help fight against the loss of soil fertility problems in Kabare. This is a technique that involves better use of nutrient stocks in the soil, local amendments and mineral fertilizers in order to increase land yields while ensuring the improvement and sustainability of their fertility.

IV. Action Campaign HUNGER FREE

The campaign HUNGER FREE, HGF, is a generation of promotional space ”Generation Zero Hunger” as effective fight against extreme poverty, Objective 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals post2015.
It is used on the occasion of World Food Day, whose theme was “Social protection and agriculture – break the vicious circle of rural poverty ‘, to send a strong message to the younger generation – generation zero Hunger to encourage young people, women and vulnerable people (person with disability) for the challenge and engage in the struggle to sustainably eradicating hunger and poverty within 15 years. This action was organized in December and had experienced a 38 people.

 

CLOSING THE GENDER GAP FOR A FAIRER FUTURE

Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security

By Regina Laub and Susan Kaaria, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

It’s another typical day for Josephine Keremi. She’s up at sunrise, spends her morning scurrying around the house preparing meals, washing clothes, and gathering water and firewood. All this before her three children and husband wake up to begin another long day in the fields to harvest sweet potatoes and beans for the local market.

The Keremi family lives in a village called Kaithango. It’s located in the Eastern province of Kenya. This region receives very low rainfall throughout the year. This causes many headaches for Josephine and other rural farmers like herself. It not only sparks arguments between them over the use of scarce resources, it also translates in being unable to produce enough food to feed themselves and their families on a daily basis. In fact, many households in her village frequently go hungry…

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