YLLP project engaged young farmers in harnessing the power of the internet and web-based tools to document climate-resilient farming practices and value chains for product development, promote good soil health and ignite a passion for organic farming.

This project built on IFAD CBRAP Project. It expanded the impact of the IFAD project by increasing the use of ICT to facilitate value chains and establish social media platforms for exchange of learning on climate change and resilient agriculture between the participating countries and more broadly through the POETCom network.

The project had the following objectives:

1. Train young people to provide technical production and marketing support to young farmers using ICT and specific social media platforms;
2. Assist young farmers to document and disseminate the eight best practices for climate resilience, including traditional practices, using ICT; and
3. Develop a regional learning exchange.

Key Activities

Social media marketing

The training on social media focused on equipping young farmers with skills in using ICT and social media networks to market organic produce. In Niue, NIOFA started using Facebook to promote its organic night market through flyers created with online graphic applications. Through the training, young farmers started using social media to sell their farm produce.

Pacific organic warriors

“Pacific organic warriors” was a Facebook page co-managed by youths from Vanuatu, Fiji, Niue, Cook Islands and Republic of the Marshall Islands, who collaborate to raise awareness of organic farming through social media. They shared videos, pictures, and snippets of information on organic farming and climate-resilient farming practices such as composting, pit planting on atoll islands, growing a variety of crops, mulching taro beds, and drip irrigation methods.

Documenting resilient farming practices

Twenty-two videos were made to demonstrate resilient farming practices observed in Vanuatu, Niue, Cook Islands and Republic of the Marshall Islands. Examples included:

• mulching taro beds in Cook Islands – a distinctive method of farming and managing taro plantations using cardboard and kikau (coconut leaves) as mulch;
• pit planting in atoll countries like Republic of the Marshall Islands to improve plant growth and increase yields;
• drip irrigation, using PET bottles, to build drought resilience; and
• cutting banana leaves before storms in Niue to bolster the plant’s ability to remain upright during strong winds.

Information sheets were also developed to complement the videos by detailing the practices step-by-step.