Youth-Led Extension and Advisory for Development (YouLEAD)
Positioning youth as catalysts for knowledge transfer and innovation through decentralized extension systems with MSP mentorship.
Introduction
This pillar positions youth as catalysts for knowledge transfer, innovation, and community-driven agricultural transformation through the YouLEAD model—an inclusive, decentralized extension system that embeds trained youth into local Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs).
These youth serve as peer educators, data collectors, agripreneurs, and digital champions who provide context-specific advisory services to farmers, including agroecological practices, climate-smart solutions, digital tool adoption, and financial literacy.
YouLEAD is critical because it addresses the deep-rooted challenge of knowledge asymmetry, which often renders smallholder farmers unprepared to meet the demands of modern, data-driven markets. Traditional extension systems are often under-resourced, top-down, and disconnected from innovation ecosystems.
Key Activities
Critical Data Sets
Youth profiles and mapping: skills, interests, education, geolocation
Farmer demographics and training needs assessments
Extension delivery metrics: reach, frequency, topics, satisfaction
MSP membership and stakeholder engagement logs
Practice adoption rates and yield response data
Digital tool usage and feedback
Linkages to input providers, financial services, and market actors
Timeline
6 months to 2 years