Catalysing Young Agri-Entrepreneurs' Investments and Ensuring Their Sustainability: Strategic Planning Tool

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The achievement of the first two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – end poverty and hunger by 2030 – requires substantial investments. To fully contribute to sustainable development, both public and private investments should be perfectly aligned with the SDGs. In this context, empowering youth to invest in their own farms and businesses along agricultural value chains should be a key component of sustainable development-centered investment promotion and mobilization strategy for three reasons: the improvement of food security; the promotion of the added value of food products; and the improvement of employment and economic well-being.

This strategic planning tool can help propel investments by young agri-entrepreneurs at national or regional levels, and help ensure their sustainability. It analyses the current environment and overall conditions young investors face while offering practical solutions to overcome the main challenges identified. The strategic planning tool also helps ensure that decision-makers take ownership of the results through a participatory and inclusive process.

The strategic planning process consists of four steps:

1. Identify which actions to prioritize (promising agri-food chains; target areas and groups of young people with the potential to become successful agri-entrepreneurs and who need help the most);

2. Analyse the current context, institutional, policy, legal, and incentive frameworks as well as existing services which help young agri-entrepreneurs make sustainable investments in the agricultural sector and food systems;

3. Develop a common vision of the optimal situation for young agri-entrepreneurs investing in agri-food chains; and

4. Develop practical solutions to enhance sustainable and responsible investments by young agri-entrepreneurs.

This tool was piloted and validated in Tunisia in 2019/2020.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Release date: Feb 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9789251338193

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Eiselen, B. and Fiedler, Y. 2020. Catalysing young agri-entrepreneurs’ investments and ensuring their sustainability – Strategic planning tool. Rome, FAO and HAFL. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb1367en

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ISBN 978-92-5-133554-3 [FAO]

E-ISBN 978-92-5-133819-3 (EPUB)

© FAO, 2020

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD Robert Lehmann, HAFL

FOREWORD Michael Riggs, FAO

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Introduction and overview of the tool

1.1 Background of the strategic planning tool: It is essential to give a key role to young agrientrepreneurs in the strategies put in place to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

1.2 A toolkit to assess capacities and support strategic planning aiming to increase investments by young agri-entrepreneurs and make them sustainable

2. Strategic planning tool: concept and implementation

2.1 Objectives, focus and scope of the analysis

2.2 Concept of the tool, estimated duration and suggested timeframe

2.3 Methodology

2.4 Broader challenges to watch out for

3. Detailed steps of the strategic planning tool implementation process

Step A.1: Preliminary study: identification of the value chains to be analysed

1. Defining young people

2. Types of funding available for investments by young people

3. Statistical analysis, description of main high potential agri-food chains and identification of target regions and agri-food chains

Step A.2: Analysis of the enabling environment and overall conditions for investments in the agricultural sector and food systems

Step B.1: Identification of economic actors operating in the agri-food chains

Step B.2: Characterisation of economic operators according to their contributions to investments by young people and mapping of stakeholders

First national workshop: What is an attractive agri-food sector for young people?

Step C: Summary

Second national workshop: validation workshop

Step D: Policy brief vii

REFERENCES

ANNEX 1: Experience and lessons learned from the implementation of the strategic analysis tool within the framework of the pilot project in Tunisia

FIGURES

Figure 1 | Overview of the concept of the strategic planning tool based on CNS-FAO recommendations

Figure 2 | Qualitative and participatory positioning of the strategic planning tool in the field of research

Figure 3 | Four levels of key standard analysis

Figure 4 | Identification of economic operators within the limits of the system, as previously identified in step A.1

Figure