Dr. Manjit Misra, Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, opened his keynote address at the 14th Annual Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, by referencing the African proverb that, “if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.” Over the course of three days, close to 200 experts in extension and rural advisory services from more than 40 countries, across North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, explored precisely what it means to go far together by building the next generation of leaders in agriculture.
Hosted by the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) for the first time in the United States, attendees represented youth, leaders, and innovators across government, non-profit, business, and educational organizations. Over three days, attendees embraced a “yes and” mentality by identifying ways to work together across organizations, regions, and continents, learned from one another, and discussed how to empower and equip the next generation of leaders in agriculture.
In the opening session for the meeting, moderated by Chancellor Tony Frank, who serves as Chair of the NAAAN Steering Committee, senior government representatives from Canada, Mexico, and the United States discussed challenges and opportunities to help support the next generation of leaders in agriculture across their countries.
The CSU System hosts the NAAAN Secretariat as an international platform for the three countries. Kerri Conway, Special Advisor to the Chancellor and Director of International Agriculture at CSU Spur and the NAAAN Secretariat, mentioned in her opening remarks that the meeting was designed to, “Emphasize shared learning, and most importantly, celebrate a chance to hear from young leaders, those in the early career phase, and from groups representing the underserved and underrepresented in our agricultural communities.”
These themes were shared throughout the meeting including panels from Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), The First Americans Land Grant Consortium (FALCON), and Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD). National and international leaders from 4-H and FFA shared their work and deep commitment to the next generation in both rural and urban communities, with a focus on shared experiences in youth development, the importance of education, and learning from different approaches to rural advisory services and extension across the globe.
Embarking on field trips organized to highlight agricultural production and livelihoods across the front range of the Rockies, GFRAS meeting attendees visited six farms. The farms ranged from first to fifth generation, representing a range from small acreages to multi-county thousand-acre operations. From working the land in Colorado to adapting and preparing for long-term sustainability, the farms graciously hosted the tours and demonstrated their shared stories of resilience.
With more than two millennia of collective experience in extension and rural advisory services represented through the participants of the GFRAS Annual Meeting, the NAAAN is working to tap into and connect these experiences moving forward. In the coming months the NAAAN Secretariat and partners will launch an engagement platform to host the NAAAN Country Hubs across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The thematic focus for this work includes; biodefense and attention to natural disasters, climate change with an emphasis on soil health and water management, and continued work on building the next generation of leaders in extension and rural advisory services. Through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and advocacy efforts across North America, the NAAAN will continue to connect local, national and international leaders, emphasizing the importance of our shared food security.
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