The president of the Regional Youth Committee, Nicolas Jacquet, was present in Rome and participated in the youth declaration on cooperatives in agri-food systems.
The cooperative youth of America played a leading role in the context of the World Food Summit, where a Youth Declaration on Cooperatives in Agri-food Systems was presented.
The document, the result of a process that brought together 32 young people from 26 countries, proposes a shared vision for building fairer, more sustainable, and more inclusive food systems. It emphasizes the need to eliminate structural barriers to access for young people and women to land, credit, technology, and participation in cooperative governance.
The delegation from Cooperatives of the Americas was headed by Nicolás Jacquet, president of the Regional Youth Committee, who actively participated in drafting the declaration and in the WWF forums. “Young cooperative members are not only asking to be heard, but are already offering concrete solutions to transform food systems,” Jacquet stated.
Youth participation in Rome was the result of a prior regional work process driven by the Youth Committee of Cooperatives of the Americas, which during the International Year of Cooperatives strengthened the leadership, innovation and influence of young people in the movement.
With this contribution, youth cooperativism in America consolidates its place on the global agenda for food security and sustainable development.
Youth Declaration on Cooperatives in Agri-food Systems
“This declaration is based on our firm conviction that cooperatives represent a development model based on solidarity, participatory democracy, social justice, economic autonomy and the principle of self-help,” says the preamble of the document.
In it they state that “youth in agricultural cooperatives is not an option, but a strategic imperative to achieve more sustainable, inclusive and equitable food systems.”
Finally, they state: “We, the young people involved in agri-food cooperatives and future leaders of our respective communities, reaffirm our commitment to actively contribute to building fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable food systems. We not only advocate for empowerment, but also offer a genuine partnership based on innovation, knowledge, collective action, and a firm commitment to the principles of sustainable development.”
