BKMC Annual Report 2023

2
©BKMC - Dan Munui Zoomafrika Pictures / During Africa Climate Week, CEO Monika Froehler and BKMC Team attend a field trip with a group of
BKMC Youth AgriChampions.
BKMC YOUTH AGRICHAMPIONS
WEBINAR SERIES
The 17 Youth AgriChampions, selected from hundreds
of applications, then presented these demands to the
BKMC’s Co-chairs, Ban Ki-moon and Dr. Heinz Fischer,
high-level bilateral meetings, as well as international
climate conferences, including the Africa Climate
Summit and COP28. One of the highlights during
the Africa Climate Summit was a meet and greet
of BKMC´s AgriChampions with BKMC Co-chair
Ban Ki-moon where they were able to network, listen
to each other’s stories, as well as hear encouraging
words from Ban Ki-moon.
The demand paper “Capacity Building for Smallholder
Farmers Adapting to Climate Change” was officially
unveiled and presented at a BKMC-hosted Official
Side Event at COP28 with CGIAR, FAO, and Fairtrade
International “The role of youth in smallholder agriculture”.
The paper was handed over to global
leaders, including representatives of Germany and
Kenya, bringing the urgent policy demands of young
smallholder farmers to the forefront of discussion
and action.
Finally, Youth Argi Champion Eliud Rugut participated
in the COP28 event “Farming for our Future: Growing
Climate Resilience”, hosted by the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, sharing the stage with Bill Gates,
and presenting his on-the-ground experiences in
adapting practices to climate change.
The demand paper still serves as an invaluable tool
for Ban Ki-moon and the BKMC team in their global
advocacy work to promote the climate adaptation
needs of smallholder farmers.
Scan the QR code to read the
Youth AgriChampion demand paper
“Capacity Building for Smallholder
Farmers Adapting to Climate Change”.
Goal:
Foster a network of young African smallholder
farmers and agri-preneurs committed to tackling
climate change and improving agricultural
adaptation in their communities; Develop an
annual demand paper highlighting the needs of
smallholder farmers in adapting to climate change
to amplify the BKMC global advocacy work.
Key Partners:
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CGIAR,
East Africa Farmers Federation
Target Recepient Countries:
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia
Over the course of summer 2023, the second edition
of the Youth AgriChampions Workshop Series brought
together a group of outstanding 17 young smallholder
farmers, agri-preneurs, and farmer representatives
from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia
through three workshops to develop a demand paper
on capacity building for climate change adaptation.
Inspired by insights from Elizabeth Nsimadala,
President of the East Africa Farmers Federation,
and Nicoline de Haan, Director of the CGIAR
GENDER Impact Platform, the Youth AgriChampion
developed a concrete set of three demands to
address the challenges they believe farmers face
to having sustainable and profitable businesses.
The three demands were 1) investing in extension
services, 2) tailoring capacity building to women’s
needs, and 3) strengthening the link between policy,
science, and practice.
©BKMC - Dan Munui Zoomafrika Pictures / Co-chair Ban Ki-moon meets BKMC Changemakers in Nairobi, Kenya.
20 21