Global Youth Institute at the Borlaug dialogues

This blog article is from a series of reflections by Siobhan Green, during her attendance at the World Hunger Food Prize Borlaug dialogues on food security.

I had the honor of being a faculty expert at the Global Youth Institute. Today, I saw poster presentations by world food prize interns and heard student research papers related to food security and international development.

Some examples: I met a young woman who worked with a local NGO on the impact of community radio on local development. She interviewed men and women in the villages and learned of the tremendous positive impact of locally produced radio programs, especially through call in shows and especially on rural women. Another young woman presented her research on the impact of women's self help on household nutrition. She found that raised income alone did not have the impact; Self-help groups however, are opportunities to share knowledge in an empowering and social way.

The student panels looked at food security situations in Barbados, Panama, Iran, Egypt and Malawi among others. Core causes revolved around cultural norms related to gender and traditional practices. Water management, along with other forms of natural resource management, was a crucial issue in most countries. Politics and government corruption were also key factors in most countries.

The students brainstormed with experts on possible solutions. Translating cultural norms into cultural supports through empowerment, education and legal rights, are opportunities for positive change. Addressing politics is required, as is improving infrastructure to address waste and responding to natural disasters. Sensible natural resource management was seen as essential.

All in all, it was inspiring to be with these high school students and hear their passions and ideas. While I hate thinking I am old enough to be considered a mentor, I loved the opportunity to share my experiences and connections with these next leaders.