Ramani and 25 colleagues from 16 nations met earlier this month in the Netherlands to develop the organisation's strategic plan for 2006-2008.

Under the plan, YPARD will encourage professionals under the age of 40 to share information and engage in policy debates on issues such as research priorities and genetic engineering.

The organisation also aims to promote farming and agricultural research as career options by creating links with secondary schools and universities.

Next month, it will create a website (www.ypard.org) to host online forums and databases of young professionals' contact details. It will also list training opportunities, funding, jobs, conferences and relevant organisations.

This month's meeting heard calls for YPARD to be proactive in creating opportunities for young people instead of waiting for the old guard of agricultural researchers to hand over.

YPARD has the backing of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation.