Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America. The incidence of poverty in rural areas is significantly higher, particularly among those involved in subsistence agriculture in the Andean highlands (Altiplano) and valleys, areas vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change. Nearly 60 percent of the Bolivian population is under 25 years of age and 25 percent of the population is between the ages of 15 and 30 years old. Advances have been made in Bolivia in terms of investing in and strengthening individual and producer organization capacities to better manage farms and businesses, however most of these initiatives had very limited youth inclusion and gender equality considerations. The rural exodus of youth to urban centres for educational and employment threatens the future of the agricultural sector on which so much of the economy depends.
