An initiative of the Livelihoods Foundation The Young Farmers Learning Award
Celebrating the programs where a new generation of farmers truly learns.
Call for proposals opens October 22, 2026 Apply until February 28, 2027 Winners announced and ceremony in 2027
The Award
The Young Farmers Learning Award celebrates education programs that prepare a new generation of farmers for an agriculture that is productive, sustainable, and fairly paid. It rewards programs with results to show: young people who have become farmers able to make a living and to last.
This Award is not for ideas on paper. It is for programs that are up and running, built with farming communities, and already changing lives.
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Global
A worldwide award, opening region by region. The first edition is in Africa.
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Independent
Funded by the Livelihoods Foundation, judged by an independent jury.
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Open
Open to other organizations that want to join, spread the word, or co-fund it.
Mission and vision
Our mission
The Award gives new energy to young-farmer education. It recognizes, supports, and connects inspiring local programs that make a real difference for the next generation of farmers.
Our vision
Agriculture that feeds people, protects the planet, and pays farmers fairly, and the new generation who will bring it to life.
Why it matters
Agriculture has to feed more people, cope with climate change, and restore nature, while giving farmers a decent living. That takes a new generation of farmers who know how to farm with nature, can get land, markets, and resources, and keep learning and adapting.
The good news is that the programs preparing them already exist. They do it remarkably well, often without recognition, networks, or resources. The Award exists to find them and celebrate them.
The question is not the teaching. It is the learning.
Launch edition: Africa
The first edition of the Award takes place in Africa.
It is open to programs operating in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda.
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Morocco
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Uganda
Who can apply
Any type of organization running an ongoing education or training program in one of the nine eligible countries:
- cooperatives
- farmer groups
- NGOs
- local associations
- social businesses
- companies
- local authorities
- universities
- rural community development associations
- agricultural and vocational-technical schools
What counts is the quality and impact of the program, not who runs it.
What we look for
The matter is not the size. It is the impact.
Two things come first: your program operates in one of the nine eligible countries, and it is already running. Then, to make the difference, it must be:
Local
Run by an organization based in the country or region where the program takes place.
Operational
Up and running, with at least two groups of farmers who have completed it.
Practical
Hands-on learning in the field, with practical solutions for young farmers starting or growing their farm.
Measurable
You follow what happens to participants after the program: their income, their farming practices, whether their farm lasts.
Transformative
Real, lasting change in what young farmers know, in their confidence, and in their lives.
Inclusive
Works on the obstacles young people face, such as gender and access to land.
Sustainable
Good farming practices and access to markets.
Innovative
New tools, techniques, or ways of learning that others can copy.
See the full eligibility and selection criteria in the Call for Proposals.
How to apply
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Check your eligibility
Your program meets all the criteria and operates in an eligible country.
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Prepare your submission
in English or French: the applicants’ questionnaire, supporting evidence (5 pages maximum), and a one-page organization profile.
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Submit by email before 28 February 2027
Send everything to contact@yflaward.org
Subject line: YFLA_Application_[OrganizationName]
Deadline:February 28, 2027
The criteria are public, the jury is independent, and the form is kept simple.
What can you win?
The Award is a recognition for the quality of field education programs having an impact on young farmers. In addition to a financial donation, laureates receive communication support to increase their visibility and help mobilize more resources.
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First prize
€30,000
If your program wins, your organization receives €30,000 in financial support, in recognition of its work.
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Second prize
€15,000
Your organization receives €15,000 in financial support, in recognition of its work.
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For both winners
Beyond the financial award, laureates receive communication support to raise their profile, with help producing high-quality materials that put a spotlight on their work and open doors to new partners. They also join a growing network of like-minded organizations, recognized figures in the field, and potential funders.
The jury
Programs are evaluated by an independent jury of recognized figures in sustainable agriculture and education, chaired each year by someone from the region in focus. The Livelihoods Foundation sets up and funds the Award. The jury makes the decision.
Jury members to be announced
Join the movement
The Award is built for partners to join: spread the word, co-fund the Award, help shape the next editions. The first step is an award. The movement is how it grows.
Get in touch contact@yflaward.org