By Nabil Moolna

Premier prix des « YoBloCo Awards », la jeune blogueuse plaide pour que la jeunesse se réconcilie avec l’agriculture.

«C’est un grand honneur pour moi d’avoir été choisie  parmi les 69 participants au concours individuel. » C’est à Johannesburg que Nawsheen Hosenally a récupéré son prix le mois dernier. Le Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo), organisé par le Centre Technique de coopération agricole et rurale (CTA), récompense les meilleurs blogs traitant de l’engagement des jeunes dans l’agriculture. Oeuvrant dans le cadre des accords de Cotonou entre pays de l’ACP (Afrique-Caraïbes-Pacifi que) et de l’Union européenne, le CTA met un accent particulier sur l’utilisation des technologies de l’information et de la communication pour relever les défis agricoles contemporains.

Competition process

The competition is an attempt to capture and showcase the voices of youth and their contribution to agriculture for development, whether in research, in production or assisting a community to develop a sustainable livelihood.

In the framework of the prize giving ceremony of the CTA - NEPAD youth Essay competition on ICT and entrepreneurship in agriculture, which took place in Addis Ababa on 28 March 2012, ARDYIS Project produced a brochure to present the winners and their essays.

You can download the brochure here (in PDF version).

For more information about the contest, please click here.

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) has just announced the winners of the first edition of the Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo Awards).

Winners in the institutional category will receive each 3,000 Euros, while individual winners will receive up to 1,500 Euros. In addition, winners and runners-up selected (14 individuals and organizations) will attend an international conference, their blogs will be promoted and they will have the opportunity to be involved in other activities.

“Innovation works well for large companies, but it’s not so easy for a sole trader to gain recognition,” says Eric Mutta, a software designer whose latest app won him recognition in the Apps4Africa Climate Challenge. But it’s through youthful innovation that Africa will find long-term solutions to long-standing problems.

NB : The deadline to submit entries has been extended to 25 September 2011 for North African entrants. For the other African regions, sufficient entries has been received and the contest is closed.

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) have joined forces in celebrating NEPAD’s 10th Anniversary. The two institutions are jointly organising within this framework two competitions:

• An essay competition on the theme “Looking at ICTs and entrepreneurship in agriculture and rural development through the eyes of women and the youth”. The competition is open to young African people, between 18 and 35 years. Students, journalists, and young entrepreneurs, are particularly encouraged to participate. Each winner will win EUR 1000 and participate in the celebration of NEPAD’s 10th Anniversary! For more information, read the announcement of the essay competition here.
• A photo competition on the theme: “Looking at ICTs, agriculture and climate change in Africa through the eyes of women and the youth”. This competition is open to amateur and professional African photographers. The winners will receive a prize trophy of EUR 800 and have the opportunity to join the NEPAD’s 10th Anniversary! More information are available on the announcement of the photo competition here.

Entries will be submitted in English or French. The Awards recognize excellence across a number of categories (one targeting particularly women). The competitions aim notably to contribute to reflecting over the advancement of  the African development agenda and to recognize young talents.

NB: Download the announcements in pdf directly here:

• Photo competition
• Essay competition

Deadline extended to 25 September 2011 for North Africa

Enter the competition to win EUR 1000 and join NEPAD’s 10th Anniversary!

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) have joined forces in celebrating NEPAD’s 10th Anniversary. It is within this context of reflecting over the advancement of  the African development agenda, that the two institutions are jointly organising an essay competition under the theme; “Looking at ICTs and entrepreneurship in agriculture and rural development through the eyes of women and the youth”.