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Agri-food Policies and the Next Generation

Initiatives Targeting the Next Generation

We support the next generation of farmers by promoting the profession, developing tools to assist them, and contributing to policies that favor young people in agriculture.

Profile: Yesket Saint-Duince Ahossouhe

Mr. Yesket Saint-Duince Ahossouhe demonstrates his commitment to the future of family farming by actively supporting the next generation of farmers.

A poultry, pig, and rabbit farmer in Kétou, Benin, he serves on the board of the Fédération des unions de producteurs (FUPRO) (Federation of Producers' Unions), is the General Secretary of the Association des jeunes agriculteurs modernes (Association of Modern Young Farmers) of Benin, and is the President of the Collège des jeunes agriculteurs (Young Farmers' College) of PNOPPA-Benin. As a young farmer himself, he is well aware of the challenges facing the next generation and is dedicated to advocating for their interests.

He is also the initiator of Benin’s National Young Farmers Days, a significant event for networking, advocacy, and lobbying, which brings together professionals, policymakers, and both technical and financial partners.

What’s next for him? Duince hopes to finalize a strategy for integrating and retaining young people in agriculture and to establish a pool of model young farmers who can contribute to the country’s food security.

DON'T MISS DUINCE'S PARTICIPATION ON THE AGRICULTURE AND MIGRATION PANEL

The Quebec Young Farmers Federation in Cooperation

In March 2023, a group of volunteers from the Fédération de la relève agricole du Québec (FRAQ) (Quebec Young Farmers Federation) traveled to Benin to support the Collège des jeunes agriculteurs du Bénin (CJA-Bénin) (Young Farmers' College of Benin), and discuss the agronomic, economic, and social challenges faced by young farmers.

These exchanges revealed that young Beninese farmers were interested in vegetable farming and needed support to help improve their skills in this area.

As a result, in January 2024, three organic farmers —Frédéric Turgeon-Savard, Samuel Thibault, and Joël Alarie, two of whom had participated in the previous year's visit—traveled to Benin for another exchange.

During this time, they shared their knowledge with young farmers on technical aspects and farm management. They conducted training sessions with groups of growers producers on three farms, totaling five training days at each site.

At the end of their visit, both the Beninese partners and the volunteers expressed their appreciation for the continuity of the knowledge-sharing initiative that began the previous year, and they hope this cooperation will continue for years to come.

Coalition Feeding Humanity Sustainably

Founded in 2008, the Coalition Feeding Humanity Sustainably advocates that food and agricultural goods should not be managed like other industrial goods, and that states must have the ability to determine their level of food autonomy without the risk of reprisals. For several years, UPA Développement international (UPA DI) has actively contributed to the Coalition's mission and outreach.

At the 5th Global Forum on Social and Solidarity Economy, held in Dakar in May 2023, UPA DI helped the Coalition organize a panel with representatives from the Conseil national de concertation et de coopération des ruraux (CNCR) (National Council for Rural Coordination and Cooperation) and the Réseau des organisations paysannes et des producteurs agricoles de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (ROPPA) (Network of Peasant Organizations and Producers of West Africa).

These two organizations, long-time partners of UPA DI, took the opportunity to share issues related to the Coalition's mission. ROPPA also used the platform to announce the creation of the West African branch of the Coalition Feeding Humanity Sustainably.

The Quebec and West African branches will continue their mobilization efforts while collaborating on common objectives, including an international legal framework that addresses food issues not only from an economic perspective but also from a social and environmental perspective.

An In-Depth Analysis on Climate Vulnerability

An important study was conducted within the Projet de structuration des services économiques et environnementaux aux transformatrices agroalimentaires tunisiennes (PSSEETAT) (Project for Structuring Economic and Environmental Services for Tunisian Agri-food Processors) and presents the climate vulnerability analysis of six important artisanal agri-food processing sectors in Tunisia.

Conducted through a participatory process, the study presents key actors and activities, from production to marketing, as well as the climate projections for 2050. This analysis will guide the next steps by addressing opportunities and challenges in sectors such as prickly pear, arboriculture (olive, apricot, and pomegranate), vegetable farming (tomato and chili), livestock (sheep, cattle, goat), cereals (durum wheat, soft wheat, and barley), and aromatic and medicinal plants (AMP).

The results were presented in Tunis on March 7 during a workshop aimed at identifying solutions to the issues outlined. Specialists and guests provided recommendations and solution pathways suited to various levels of intervention (local, regional, and national).

In the context of climate change, collective action is essential!

Participants in the workshop included representatives from agricultural, environmental, and climate change organizations, such as the ministère de l’Environnement (ME) (Ministry of the Environment), the Institut national agronomique de Tunis (INAT) (National Agronomic Institute of Tunis), the Office des céréales (OC) (Grain Office), the Institut national de la recherche en génie rural, eaux et forêts (INRGREF) (National Institute of Rural Engineering, Water, and Forestry Research), FAO, WFP, the Centre de biotechnologie de Borj Cédria (CBBC) (Biotechnology Center of Borj Cédria), the Institut national de la météorologie (INM) (National Institute of Meteorology), the Institut national de commerce (INC) (National Institute of Trade), the Centre technique d’agriculture biologique (CTAB) (Organic Agriculture Technical Center), the Groupement interprofessionnel de légumes (GIL) (Interprofessional Vegetable Group), and various entities from the ministère de l’Agriculture, des Ressources hydrauliques et de la Pêche (MARHP) (Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources, and Fisheries).

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Our Partners
Martin Caron
A Word from the President

A famous journalist and writer once said, "To engage is first to attempt to speak to others." And I can attest to that! In the early 1980s, a colleague invited me to a meeting of the group The Future Professionals of Agriculture. It was at that moment that I truly understood how my situation, in many ways, was similar others.

This openness toward others continued over time. I realized, through each of my engagements, that advocating for change and improvement first requires talking about it. This is how we can identify what unites people, their shared challenges, and the potential solutions.

The 100th anniversary of the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) in 2024 is an opportunity to celebrate this great sense of community. The 30th anniversary of UPA International Development (UPA DI) in 2023 was equally significant. In both cases, the gathering of individuals driven by an unwavering desire for openness and change has led to great achievements, in Quebec and around the world.

This commitment is invaluable, not only for Quebec's agricultural sector but for every community directly or indirectly impacted by the expertise, willpower, and know-how of our organization. It is with great pride that I have taken on the presidency this year, and I invite you to read and enjoy this year’s report.

Hugo Beauregard-Langelier
A Word from the Secretary-General

Whether we live on sand clay, or snow, there are individuals who make the decision to act in solidarity. This commitment is what has driven UPA International Development (UPA DI) from its creation in 1993 to the present day. Initiated by farmers cultivating the lands of Quebec and later enriched by their sisters and brothers in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia, the dedication of these individuals to international solidarity and family farming has enabled UPA DI to grow. Although UPA DI's past is filled with success stories, the future global context in which we will operate suggests many challenges.

If agriculture has been the foundation of our civilizations, its current trajectory is concerning. Until 2019, living standards, health, and education worldwide showed steady growth. But starting in 2020, these indicators began to decline for the first time in nearly 30 years. It is difficult to judge history as it happens, , but the multiplication of global crises, the rise of inequalities, the erosion of civil liberties, and the expansion of artificial intelligence are all signs of significant upheavals ahead.

Despite this global uncertainty, , the engagement of those who grow our food and seek to live with dignity is essential.  Family-owned businesses remain the dominant model, contributing both to the vitality of rural areas and the food supply of cities. Whether in Europe, Africa, Asia, or Quebec, agricultural families around the world have demonstrated their ability to mobilize and commit to more sustainable food systems. It is within this commitment that UPA DI finds its purpose.

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