With a clarion call to empower youth and reimagine agriculture through innovation and leadership, the Asia-Pacific Young Farmers Camp and Agrilympics 2025 commenced on 6 July at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium, Gazipur Agricultural University. Organised by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and COAST Foundation under the FO4A project, the four-day regional gathering has brought together 150 young farmers and agri-entrepreneurs from over 15 districts of Bangladesh.

Inaugurating the camp, Ma. Estrella Esther Penunia, Secretary General of AFA, delivered a stirring message. “Youth is God’s gift to the future,” she said. “This camp opens doors for youth to lead, innovate, and respond to global challenges like climate change.”

Amirul Islam, AFA Operations Manager for South and Central Asia, added, “AFA is a family of young farmers. We work across 16 countries and engage with 27 Pacific nations, ensuring youth voices are heard in shaping national and regional agricultural policy.”

Dr Md Saiful Alam, Director of Student Welfare at Gazipur Agricultural University, remarked, “The age of traditional farming is past. The future lies in agribusiness—with youth leading the transformation.”

Md Sajjad Hossain, Technical Coordinator of the Padakkhep initiative, called the camp a step toward agricultural renewal. Ataur Rahman Milton, Country Director of Hunger Free World, urged youth to move beyond job-seeking and embrace entrepreneurship.

A.B.M. Shamsul Huda, Executive Director of ALRD, said, “Farmers are often overlooked, yet during national crises, it is they who sustain us. We must honour their role—especially women, who comprise 56% of the agricultural workforce.”

Dr Md Harunur Rashid, Director of the SAARC Agriculture Centre, spoke of Bangladesh’s growing role in the regional agricultural arena. “With AI, drones, and mechanisation reshaping farming, it is the youth who must lead this new frontier.”

Youth participants shared personal stories and struggles. “Organic fertilisers are costly. With subsidies, we could farm more sustainably,” one said. Another noted, “We often start with nothing but land and vision. Government and NGO support could help us thrive.”

Md Saiful Azam Khan, Director General of the National Agricultural Training Academy (NATA), closed the session, paying tribute to the martyrs of July. “Floods, droughts, and erosion threaten our fields. To overcome these, we must modernise agriculture—and our young agri-entrepreneurs are the key.”

The first day also featured a vibrant World Café session where youth discussed cooperative models, agroecology, and market-focused production. They shared dreams, challenges, and a common resolve to reshape agriculture.

Over the next three days, the camp will host climate adaptation workshops, pitching sessions, skill labs, and the much-anticipated Agrilympics—a series of agricultural-themed games promoting awareness and unity. The event will conclude with a “Youth Farmers Declaration,” presenting a shared vision for a resilient and inclusive agricultural future.

As echoed throughout the day, Bangladesh’s agricultural renaissance lies not in outdated traditions but in the hands of its young changemakers—armed with knowledge, technology, and courage.