In a remote corner of Colombia, where opportunities are scarce and many rural youth dream of fleeing to the city for personal and professional growth, members of the EARTH Alumni Association (AGEARTH) in Colombia have started a project called Seedbed of Rural Youth Entrepreneurs (Semillero de Jóvenes Rurales Emprendedores). This initiative aims to reduce mass migration to cities and, in turn, transform the perception of the rural areas, awakening in young people a renewed love for the land and agriculture.
Another essential mission is to address a pressing challenge in Latin America and the world: the generational change of farmers and professionals who lead food systems. “Young people are leaving for the city, and the agricultural organizations are left without staff to fill the various roles needed. We realized that this is a complex situation because the sustainability of agricultural is being compromised, and there wasn’t a comprehensive solution that addressed all parts. That’s why we came up with an initiative that could tackle the problem holistically,” explains Diana Toscano (Class of 2004, Colombia), who leads the project.
Since 2021, a group of AGEARTH Colombia graduates has been diagnosing and analyzing the problems and designing this project to turn it into a “toolbox” within a work model that can be replicated in different rural and remote areas, not only in Colombia but anywhere in the world. The Seedbed of Rural Youth Entrepreneurs is more than just an educational program. It is a comprehensive proposal that combines motivation, inspiration, and education. “Our goal is to make young people fall in love with the countryside, to show them they can have a prosperous and meaningful life without leaving their rural roots,” says Diana.
This sentiment, shared by many other graduates, was the driving force that ignited the spark of forming the initiative and has led them to engage with it in various ways. Diana, for instance, manages the logistics, accompanied by graduates including Hernán Salamanca (Class of 2007, Colombia). Other members design, teach, and participate in talks, workshops, and educational activities involving hundreds of young people from the municipality of Mapiripán. Another set of graduates are responsible for building links between the project and the government, the private sector, civil society, and non-governmental organizations.
EARTH’s Academic Program has also been a key player in promoting agricultural education in the region. The virtual platform e-Learning by Doing has been used to reach hundreds of young people, including indigenous groups in extremely remote areas. The learning-by-doing model, which characterizes EARTH’s academic approach, is integrated into this interactive platform to help students acquire vital practical skills for their professional future, in addition to technical and theoretical knowledge. They can access the content from their phones through modules that can also be downloaded for offline use.
Graduates are working with children and youth ranging from 5 years old to teenagers, thus facing the challenge of adapting different topics, tools, and methodologies to a teaching style a wide range of young people can genuinely and holistically connect to. To expand the project AGEARTH has reached out to graduates from other countries and to EARTH students, who have led various training activities.
The initiative has had a significant impact on the community. Participants are not only acquiring technical knowledge and practical skills but are also connecting with international communities, expanding their horizons and developing a global mindset. “It’s wonderful to see how these kids, who barely knew their own country, now speak enthusiastically about Costa Rica and other parts of the world, thanks to our international connections and internships,” says Hernán.
The mission to transform rural areas into places of opportunity and growth for future generations is also a meeting point to strengthen the ties between graduates and to expand EARTH’s work globally.
The Seedbed of Rural Youth Entrepreneurs is not only changing lives in rural areas of Colombia, it is also demonstrating the power of education and international collaboration to create a lasting impact. As Diana says, “This is not just a project. It’s a life mission. And we’re just getting started.”
Diana, Hernán, and the AGEARTH Colombia graduates invite other alumni to join this initiative in their own countries, following the pilot plan already developed. If you are an EARTH graduate and would like to get involved, write to: semillero.jovenes.rurales@gmail.com.