4- Nepal organized the first Agro Entrepreneurship Symposium in Kathmandu in July 2016. Youth entrepreneurs, agriculture enthusiasts, experts from various sectors, representatives from government authorities, civil society organizations and farmers’ organizations shared their experiences, learning and skills among the participants in the conference and formed a loose network entitled ‘Youth Agro Entrepreneurs’ Association’. The members of this network have been engaged in advocating and facilitating the issues of agriculture, entrepreneurship, and access of youth in entrepreneurship in various districts including Ilam, Arghakhanchi, Banke, Kapilvastu, Dhangadhi, Bajura, Surkhet, Kavre, Dolakha, Sindhuli, Rautahat.

Major highlights of the conference

• The conference was the first of its kind to bring the youth farmers together to discuss, share and learn the problems and issues of agro-based entrepreneurship.
• Farmers, who were from different parts of Nepal, got a good opportunity to share their struggles, problems, experiences, successes and learning.
• The documentary shows on different themes of agriculture were screened at the conference. Most of the documentaries were about the successes and learning of farmers and their farming initiatives.
• Plenary discussions on various thematic and practical areas of the agriculture sector were conducted. There were many interactions among participants, presenters and panellists.
• Working papers on different themes of agriculture were presented by scholars and experts in agriculture and the agro-entrepreneur sector.
• Most of the problems, issues and needs of the farmers which were discussed in the conference were summed up in the form of a declaration which was later made public with recommendations for the concerned stakeholders.
• Rt Honorable Vice President of Nepal, Nanda Bahadur Pun inaugurated the conference while Agriculture Minister Haribol Gajurel and Israeli Ambassador to Nepal . were chief guests in the inaugural session.
• The conference was able to identify the issues of agriculture and the need to develop the required skills of entrepreneurship among the farmers and youths. The conference was also fruitful in identifying possible persons, who wanted to be engaged in agriculture..
• The conference proved to be a good platform to establish a network of farmers and youths across Nepal. They formed a group of interested farmers on Facebook to hold discussions on a regular basis.
• At the end of the event, certificates were awarded to more than 170 participants, who attended the two-day event in Kathmandu.
• 4-H Nepal was the main organizer of the event. The two-day event was organized in collaboration and support of several government offices and private organizations.
• Senior leader of Nepali Congress, Ram Chandra Paudel was chief guest of the concluding function on the second day of the conference.

 Major achievements

• The first conference proved to be a good platform to raise the issues and concerns of youths for their involvement and engagement in the agriculture sector and establish their linkage to the agriculture sector.
• The motto of the first conference was ‘youths in agro-entrepreneurship’ and most of the speakers and presenters stressed the need to give special emphasis on youths in agro-entrepreneurship.  The Ministry of Agriculture was influenced later and it incorporated the phrase ‘youths in agro-entrepreneurship’ in its 30-point agenda for the development of the agriculture sector in Nepal.
• The agriculture campuses of Nepal expressed their commitment to send students studying agriculture science in the respective campus as participants in the upcoming conference.
• The NGOs working in the area of youth and agriculture started incorporating ‘entrepreneurship in agriculture’ as one of their thematic areas and also started promoting the concept.

• The concept and practical application of Thopa Sinchai (drop irrigation) were promoted and highlighted in the conference.

• The participants of the first conference formed a loose network of 4-H Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Lamjung section. The network was involved in observation of the local, provincial and federal elections held in 2017. The network is quite active and it has been proactively contributing to the areas of agriculture in volunteerism and benevolent services in different parts of the country.