Consultation series: Youth principles for water governance and sustainable water management in agriculture
The World Food Forum (WFF) Thematic Youth Assembly on Water Management in Agriculture is envisioned as a youth-led, cross-sectoral dialogue platform contributing to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s efforts to strengthen inclusive water governance and advance the sustainable management of water resources in agriculture.
In 2026, the WFF Youth Assembly will focus on the development of the Youth Principles for Water Governance and Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture. The process will build on previous consultative outcomes and will include the collection of case studies and the formulation of policy recommendations aimed at highlighting:
- The contributions of youth to addressing water-related challenges in agrifood systems; Opportunities to strengthen meaningful youth engagement in advancing sustainable water management across agrifood systems; and
- The specific barriers faced by youth, particularly in the Global South, Indigenous communities and smallholder contexts, in accessing water rights, decision-making spaces, and technical resources.
As a first step in this consultative process, the Youth Assembly is launching a global call for best practices to identify successful examples of youth-led initiatives addressing challenges related to the governance and management of water resources in agrifood systems, as well as the barriers and opportunities encountered by young people in this field.
Young leaders and youth organizations working on these issues worldwide are invited to submit their initiatives and their perspectives on the topic by 1 July 2026 through the dedicated application link below. Submissions may be made in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.
The consultation series will then provide an opportunity for young people to further share their perspectives, experiences and recommendations on water governance and sustainable water management in agriculture.
Consultation session I – 17 June 2026, 14:00 CEST - Youth contributions to SDG 6
This thematic consultation will focus on the importance of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 and the role of youth in contributing to the achievement of Targets 6.4 and 6.5, particularly in relation to water-use efficiency, integrated water resources management and inclusive governance processes.
The session will be held in English.
Register here for this session.
Consultation session II – 23 June 2026 - Youth contributions to the principles for responsible governance of water tenure
This consultation will seek to systematically gather inputs from the participants towards the development of the Principles for Responsible Governance of Water Tenure, under the ambit of FAO’s Global Dialogue on Water Tenure.
This session will be available in English, with breakout rooms discussions facilitated in English, French and Spanish.
Register here for the morning session (10:00 CEST) [English and French].
Register here for the afternoon session (16:00 CEST) [English and Spanish].
The outcomes of the overall consultation process will contribute to the development of the Youth Principles for Water Governance and Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture, to be launched during the 2026 Rome Water Dialogue, scheduled to take place from 12 to 16 October 2026 and other processes such as the 2026 UN Water Conference, taking place in Abu Dhabi in December 2026.
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