What is ARDYIS?

The Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition is an exciting new opportunity to develop your innovative ideas and projects to create positive change in your community and the world. With support and feedback from peers around the world, you can turn your passion for a better world into reality.

Sub-Saharan Africa has the world’s fastest growing population and also the youngest. This is a huge opportunity for West Africa as young people bring energy, vivacity, and innovation into the work force and can consequently have a transformative impact on economic growth and social development. The agricultural sector plays a key role in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and represents up to 35% of the region’s Gross Domestic Product.  It is currently the employer of most of West Africans with 60% of the active population engaged in this sector.

25 participants, representing young farmer groups, regional and international organisations working with young farmers, youth ICT innovators/developers and entrepreneurs took part in a workshop entitled "Supporting Youth ICT-based Entrepreneurship and Innovations in Agriculture" , organised by CTA in the framework of the ARDYIS project on 19-22 November 2013 in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) and its partners are pleased to announce that submission for the 2nd Edition of the YoBloCo Awards is now open! Launched in October 2013 at the Caribbean Week of agriculture in Guyana, the YoBloCo Awards have attracted the attention of many agriculture bloggers across ACP countries.