Youth in the Agrifood Sector - Green and Inclusive Job Growth Spurred Through Digital Breakthroughs

11 September 2024, 10:45 - 11:45 (GMT-4)

Creating opportunities for youth by accelerating the inclusive green and digital transition of society is at the core of Helvetas’ work in Eastern Europe and South Asia. Agriculture, a vital sector for job and income generation in Albania, Bangladesh, Moldova, and Montenegro, faces significant climate change impacts, yet holds immense potential for absorption of cutting-edge green and digital practices and generating jobs and income for youth. This session will focus on opportunities at the intersection of youth and private-sector engagement. Helvetas’ ongoing programs will be highlighted as case studies outlining the process of creating agrifood opportunities for youth.

Specific questions to be explored are:

  1. How to ensure the competitiveness of the agrifood sector in the era climate crisis and greening international trade?  
  2. How to build effective cross-sectoral partnerships to integrate climate-smart practices into traditional farming?  
  3. How can innovative green & digital approaches attract and retain youth in the agricultural sector?

Come participate in this exciting session!

Register for the summit now: https://shorturl.at/gJQX3

Livestream Registration: We would like to invite your networks to participate in this year’s Summit virtually via the Livestream. To register for this, kindly find the link here: https://www.youtheosummit.org/event-details/2024-gyeo-summit-livestream

Panelists
Eni Koçillari
Eni Koçillari is a Project Management Professional with over 7 years of experience in private sector development and economic growth across the Western Balkans. She specializes in advancing skills, income, and employment opportunities at both local and regional level. Eni has successfully supported and managed projects funded by international donors such as USAID, the European Union, the World Bank, and SIDA, focusing on areas like digitalization and access to finance to drive sustainable economic development in the WB6 Region.
Profile
Ana Tibuleac
Ana Tibuleac (Helvetas, Deputy Team Leader of OPTIM project, Moldova). Ana is a development professional with extensive experience in Market Systems Development with a strong focus on the Agriculture and Food Industry and ICT sectors. With an academic background in economic sciences, Ana offers over 14 years of experience in business management, as well as extensive experience in advocacy and policy influencing,  business process optimization, digitalization, and human resource management. 
Profile
Klajdi Ceka
Klajdi Ceka (Albinspekt bio.inspecta, Quality Standards Expert). Klajdi Ceka, a 33-year-old expert in food engineering with a focus on quality control and compliance, has emerged as a pivotal figure in aligning Albania's food production with global environmental best practices. Over their career, Klajdi has gained recognition as an authoritative inspector for a leading control body in Albania, where their expertise in Organic certification and Global G.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practices) has been crucial in elevating producers to meet industry standards, aligning them with the market requirements introduced by the European Green Deal. Since 2023, Klajdi took a significant leadership role by heading the National Technical Working Group for Quality and Social Standards in Albania, steering the agricultural sector towards sustainable practices.
Profile
Tim Lann
Tim Lann (Helvetas USA, Program Manager). Tim Lann is Helvetas/USA's USAID Program Manager, supporting and overseeing the global portfolio of Helvetas USAID implementation. Helvetas is currently implementing 3 USAID programs (2 prime, 1 sub) in Bangladesh, Moldova (via BHA), and Vietnam. He has 7+ years of experience in international development project implementation, including helping build the national social protection system in Barbados, and Armenian Energy Exchange Market Management System. He received his bachelors and masters degrees from Stanford University.
Profile
Helvetas delegation
Paulo Rodrigues
Paulo Rodrigues is the Program Manager of RECONOMY. He holds a MA in Business Administration and an MAS in Development and Cooperation. Paulo has been working on private sector development for several years, including as an entrepreneur himself. He has worked on projects that promote value chain and social entrepreneurship development, in Central and South America. His key expertise lies in providing technical and thematic advice and support on market systems development and on the nexus of humanitarian response and development.

Profile
Nikola Babić
Nikola Babić leads the Economic Programme for Helvetas in Eastern Europe as the Regional Economic Portfolio Manager. In his current role, he oversees ongoing economic projects within Helvetas' Eastern Europe portfolio and leads business development efforts. Nikola joined the Helvetas Eastern Europe team in 2020 and previously worked as a consultant on various projects across Eastern Europe, West Africa, South Asia, and the Pacific. He holds an M.S. degree in Management from the University of Belgrade.

Profile
Gramos Osmani
Gramos Osmani is the Private Sector Component Team Leader for RisiAlbania. He worked for an international bank located in Tirana, Albania in different capacities, such as branch management and coordinator of agribusiness sector. Gramos understands well how the private sector functions from his extensive application of business plan assessment, negotiation with private businesses, in-depth knowledge of market system analysis on agribusiness and strategic business developments in Albania.
Profile

Repository

Capability statements
Case studies