National Young Farmers Coalition

Water Fellowship Curriculum
Erin Foster West

Executive Summary
The National Young Farmers Coalition is a national grassroots advocacy organization fighting
for the future of agriculture. In 2020, the National Young Farmers Coalition launched our first
water fellowship, The Colorado Young Farmer Water Fellowship, with the goal of increasing
water literacy of young farmers and increasing the representation of young, women, and BIPOC
farmers on Colorado’s water boards. In the fellowship, 10 young farmers and ranchers
completed over 30 hours of training on state-level water issues; leadership development; and
diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the completion of the fellowship, these Fellows trained over
100 young farmers on water policy and ran for seats on water boards. Three Fellows obtained
seats (and one is still waiting on a decision from the board): one sits on the Rio Grande Basin
Roundtable, one on their local conservation district board, and one is part of their county
agricultural advisory committee.

Young Farmers plans to bring the Water Fellowship back to Colorado in January 2023. The
project is a part of the Water and Equity Partnership, coordinated in conjunction with Frontline
Farming. Colorado Water Equity Partnership has a vision of equitable water governance that
fosters a vibrant agricultural community, symbiosis between urban and rural water use, healthy
ecosystems, and water justice for historically underserved communities in Colorado. Water
justice in this vision includes a water system that explicitly elevates the water interests of Black,
Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and young and beginning farmers. It is within that
vision that we will plan the 2023 Colorado Water Fellowship. We will begin the designing and
planning in the spring of 2022. Students will be involved in the design and be responsible for the
development of a curriculum for adult learners that includes state-wide water issues, water and
equity, and prepares the fellows to actively serve on water boards.

Link to project proposal here
View partner video 1, video 2, and video 3