To address the challenges for young entrepreneurs in agroecology and create a conducive business environment, YALTA built and strengthened multi stakeholder coalitions working on issues of change. The coalitions mostly focused on increased attention for youth in agroecology in research, policy agendas and educational curricula and worked towards better inclusion of youth in these processes. 

YALTA’s support to the coalitions started at the national summits that took place at the end of 2020. During those events, we organized sessions to formulate collective dreams and identify joint objectives. This resulted in the formation of 19 initial partnerships that wanted to explore opportunities for collaboration. In the months after that, we explored synergies, identified the most promising opportunities and selected one coalition per country that YALTA could support. 

Two coalitions were formed (Rwanda and Kenya), two coalitions already in existence were strengthened (Ethiopia and Uganda).  49 organizations participated in the coalitions (7-Ethiopia, 12-Rwanda, 18-Kenya, and 12-Uganda). 

Over 14 support meetings were conducted in each country to the coalitions (topical deep dives, quarterly meetings and annual meet ups). 

As a result of the support, there is strengthened relations within the coalitions as evidenced by co-organizing as well as co-funding of strategic events.  

Among the support activities of the coalitions included; topical deep dives, annual meetups and continuous one-on-one coalition support.  Topical deep dives were workshops organized every quarter for one day where experts on the generated topic and stakeholders were invited including the youths who discussed in-depth the issue coming up with possible solutions at the end of the workshop. Annual meetups were one day workshops too organized on an annual basis where stakeholders reviewed the progress of implementation of coalition activities; highlighting key successes, learnings, challenges and possible recommendations to combat the challenges. Planning for the following year was also done during this workshop.

Youths in Agroecology policy initiative was established in Kenya. It aimed at strengthening youths’ platforms to participate in Agroecology policies. It pushed for increasing youths’ participation in policy dialogues in agriculture and Agroecology.  YALTA supported this coalition through facilitating the development of a communication strategy, identified and shared opportunities for fundraising, advised and supported with the development of lobby and advocacy strategy 

The National Agroecology Actors Platform (NAAP) established in Uganda, aimed at strengthening, networking, coordination, experience sharing and collective advocacy towards scaling up Agroecology in Ugandan through awareness creation on the role of Agroecology in transforming Uganda’s food systems towards inclusivity, resilience and sustainability. YALTA mobilized youth and co-facilitated for collective input, reflection and fine-tuning efforts of developing the Uganda National Agroecology strategy, supported youths to participate in the validation workshop of the Agroecology strategy, its documentation as well as its launch 

The acid soils initiative established in Ethiopia aimed at creating awareness on the increasing acidity of Ethiopian soils through research as well as giving options for balancing the Ph of these soils. YALTA facilitated youth engagement in this coalition. Furthermore, the team supported  the agenda setting for collective impact coalition, advised and supported the development of shared measurement practices, development of lobby and advocacy strategy and facilitate the development of the communication strategy

The Agroecology in Research and Education Working Group established in Rwanda aimed at increasing the attention given to Agroecology in research and inclusion of Agroecology in Rwanda's agricultural education curriculum. YALTA supported events that provided platforms for knowledge and information exchange on Agroecology (symposium and workshops), documented conversations (developing policy briefs, needs assessment) as well as dissemination of co-created materials to create awareness on Agroecology

To address the challenges for young entrepreneurs in agroecology and create a conducive business environment, YALTA built and strengthened multi stakeholder coalitions working on issues of change. The coalitions mostly focused on increased attention for youth in agroecology in research, policy agendas and educational curricula and worked towards better inclusion of youth in these processes. 

YALTA’s support to the coalitions started at the national summits that took place at the end of 2020. During those events, we organized sessions to formulate collective dreams and identify joint objectives. This resulted in the formation of 19 initial partnerships that wanted to explore opportunities for collaboration. In the months after that, we explored synergies, identified the most promising opportunities and selected one coalition per country that YALTA could support. 

Two coalitions were formed (Rwanda and Kenya), two coalitions already in existence were strengthened (Ethiopia and Uganda).  49 organizations participated in the coalitions (7-Ethiopia, 12-Rwanda, 18-Kenya, and 12-Uganda). 

Over 14 support meetings were conducted in each country to the coalitions (topical deep dives, quarterly meetings and annual meet ups). 

As a result of the support, there is strengthened relations within the coalitions as evidenced by co-organizing as well as co-funding of strategic events.  

Among the support activities of the coalitions included; topical deep dives, annual meetups and continuous one-on-one coalition support.  Topical deep dives were workshops organized every quarter for one day where experts on the generated topic and stakeholders were invited including the youths who discussed in-depth the issue coming up with possible solutions at the end of the workshop. Annual meetups were one day workshops too organized on an annual basis where stakeholders reviewed the progress of implementation of coalition activities; highlighting key successes, learnings, challenges and possible recommendations to combat the challenges. Planning for the following year was also done during this workshop.

Youths in Agroecology policy initiative was established in Kenya. It aimed at strengthening youths’ platforms to participate in Agroecology policies. It pushed for increasing youths’ participation in policy dialogues in agriculture and Agroecology.  YALTA supported this coalition through facilitating the development of a communication strategy, identified and shared opportunities for fundraising, advised and supported with the development of lobby and advocacy strategy 

The National Agroecology Actors Platform (NAAP) established in Uganda, aimed at strengthening, networking, coordination, experience sharing and collective advocacy towards scaling up Agroecology in Ugandan through awareness creation on the role of Agroecology in transforming Uganda’s food systems towards inclusivity, resilience and sustainability. YALTA mobilized youth and co-facilitated for collective input, reflection and fine-tuning efforts of developing the Uganda National Agroecology strategy, supported youths to participate in the validation workshop of the Agroecology strategy, its documentation as well as its launch 

The acid soils initiative established in Ethiopia aimed at creating awareness on the increasing acidity of Ethiopian soils through research as well as giving options for balancing the Ph of these soils. YALTA facilitated youth engagement in this coalition. Furthermore, the team supported  the agenda setting for collective impact coalition, advised and supported the development of shared measurement practices, development of lobby and advocacy strategy and facilitate the development of the communication strategy

The Agroecology in Research and Education Working Group established in Rwanda aimed at increasing the attention given to Agroecology in research and inclusion of Agroecology in Rwanda's agricultural education curriculum. YALTA supported events that provided platforms for knowledge and information exchange on Agroecology (symposium and workshops), documented conversations (developing policy briefs, needs assessment) as well as dissemination of co-created materials to create awareness on Agroecology