Young Beninese give their support to women food processors

At the world level, family farmers represent 40% of the world's active population. They contribute in 80% of our global agricultural production. Their families are the poorest communities in the world and they also employ millions of children under the age of 10, despite themselves. Moreover, they have no guarantees and access to credit facilities, productive resources, and agricultural and food markets. In such a context, and to celebrate both the Global Youth Service Day 2014 and the International Year of Family Farming, we organized a joint initiative called “Let’s Be a Farmer.” The goal was to mobilize around 120 young Beninese to work a full day with small women producers in 04 different communities in Benin. The activities lasted 07 days, from April 18 – 26, 2014.
A total of 135 Youth Volunteers participated in this community project, of which 110 young people were on the ground. Together, we helped 20 family farmers (7 men and 13 women), including women food processors, in their daily work. In each zone of intervention, we had a participatory meeting with volunteers, local authorities and beneficiaries (farmers and their family). All parties appreciated this initiative as a way of education for the some and synonym of work recognition for others. All farmers, and local communities’ chiefs as well, expressed their wish to live a second experience.
This was our way to support our family farmers in this Year 2014 where family farming is being celebrated globally. But it is also the opportunity to promote volunteering among young Beninese, and to reinforce our women from the rural areas.