Call for submissions: Showcasing youth-led bioeconomy projects driving agrifood systems transformation

The World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Assembly in collaboration with the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is inviting young people and youth organizations to submit bioeconomy projects and initiatives that are driving sustainable agrifood systems transformation.

This global call aims to amplify youth voices and gather evidence-based insights that will help shape future bioeconomy policies and recommendations.

Specifically, it seeks to:

• Highlight the contributions of youth, particularly young women, in advancing bioeconomy solutions that support agrifood systems transformation;
• Showcase youth-led innovations and initiatives that create employment opportunities, strengthen local economies and deliver positive impacts within communities; and
• Identify barriers faced by young people in accessing resources, capacity development opportunities, finance and decision-making processes, while informing recommendations to strengthen youth engagement in the bioeconomy

Insights gathered through the call will contribute to the development of youth policy recommendations for international, regional and national decision-makers. These recommendations will help inform discussions within FAO Technical Committees on Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Forestry, as well as future Global Bioeconomy Summits and other relevant intergovernmental processes.

Young people aged 18–35 and youth-led organizations engaged in bioeconomy are invited to submit their projects and initiatives through a global survey.  The survey will gather quantitative and qualitative information on impact, innovation, scalability, job creation, income-generation opportunities, key success factors and barriers to implementation.

Fill the survey

What happens next?

Participants will be invited to an online consultation to validate preliminary findings, explore emerging priorities and identify actions to inform youth-led policy recommendations.

The findings and recommendations will be presented by youth representatives at international forums, including, UN intergovernmental processes, FAO Technical Committees and the annual Global Bioeconomy Summit.

Who can submit?

Eligible projects and initiatives must:

• Demonstrate impact, innovation or scalability;
• Focus on agrifood systems, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, One Health, biodiversity and related value chains;
• Be led by a young individual or youth-led entity, including organizations, companies, collectives, initiatives, or movements, whether formal or informal.

Submissions are welcome in all UN languages:  Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

Young people are already driving innovation across  the bioeconomy.  This is an opportunity to showcase those efforts, contribute to global discussions and help shape a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for agrifood systems.

Submit your project by 1 July.