By Olimatou Coker
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in The Gambia, in partnership with the Government of Japan, has successfully concluded a 5-day youth exchange program aimed at promoting innovation and cross-cultural learning in agriculture. The program brought together 5 Japanese students and 10 Gambian youth innovators, showcasing youth-led solutions transforming agriculture into a modern and innovative sector.
The program exposed the visiting students to community-led initiatives, highlighting the power of local solutions, exchange of ideas and experiences, fostering cross-cultural collaboration and strengthen ties between young innovators, development experts, and local communities.
It promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and skills development in agriculture and encourage modern and sustainable farming practice and active participation at the local level, ensuring sustainability and long-term impact.
Samba B Bah, UNDP Representative, emphasised the project’s holistic approach, focusing on women and youth empowerment.
Yuka Sugiura, a Japanese student, highlighted the program’s value in understanding community-led solutions.
The JSB initiative supports youth innovation, entrepreneurship, and skills development, transforming agriculture into a modern and attractive sector for young people, with support from the Embassy of Japan in The Gambia.
