The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, under the EU-funded STREIT PNG Programme, has collaborated with the PNG government through the National Youth Development Authority (NYDA) to establish Provincial Youth Councils (PYC) in the West and East Sepik provinces to promote youth leadership in agriculture. This initiative aims to empower youths, particularly in rural areas, to have a platform to table youth issues, to become good leaders in their localities, and to contribute significantly to the country's sustainable development through active participation in the agriculture sector. Under this initiative, a series of capacity-building workshops and training sessions where hosted in West Sepik and East Sepik. Through these sessions, 87 youths from the 10 districts representing cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries farming groups, acquired leadership skills and were educated on the structure and mandate of the NYDA, the divisional functions of youth programs, the intricacies of the partnership between the EU-STREIT PNG Programme and the Provincial Administrations, and the importance of youth involvement in decision-making and agri-food value chains. FAO's Gender & Youth Inclusion Specialist Ms. Patu Shang said that the initiative is crucial as it serves as a platform for advocacy and the promotion of youth leadership and innovation in development. "We emphasize the importance of professionalizing agriculture and the participation of youths at all nodes of the cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries value chains, which are key economic drivers in the Sepik region." Mr. Christopher Usuka, the National Director of Programs and Extension Services for NYDA reiterated this in his opening remarks at the workshop. “A formalized Provincial Youth Development Council is a prerequisite for acquiring any form of intervention or support, financial or otherwise from any national or provincial funding basket.” Meanwhile, this initiative also facilitates the establishment of Provincial Youth Councils, providing a formal platform for young people to engage with stakeholders and contribute to policy discussions at Provincial and National levels. This includes mobilizing fellow youths to participate in upcoming elections for their councils and advocating for support from district, provincial and national funding to pursue agribusiness careers. "The Provincial Youth Development Councils will empower young people to become effective community mobilizers and advocates," said Ms. Zilpah Yahamani, Gender & Youth Inclusion Officer of the Programme. "They will play a vital role in fostering the development of a Youth Development strategy, action plan and outreach programs, particularly focusing on promoting agriculture at the local level." During the workshop, the East Sepik’s Youth Development Council Working Committee (ESP-YDCWC) was elected, nominating 7 members (3 women and 4 men). Following the workshops, district youth representatives are expected to engage actively in their communities by organizing awareness campaigns and facilitating the election of District Youth Council Executives with the support of the NYDA. These executives will then be confirmed by the NYDA, which will oversee the establishment of the Provincial Youth Council and will support its efforts in sustainable agricultural and community development.