Implementation of the GYAP in Asia and the Pacific: Empowering youth for sustainable nutrition across generations

The WFF Global Youth Action Plan (GYAP) 2025–2026 is a youth-led roadmap to transform agrifood systems, built through consultations with over 2600 young people worldwide. It identifies region-specific challenges, policy priorities and concrete actions, combining capacity development, policy advocacy and partnerships. Grounded in innovation, sustainability and ancestral knowledge, the GYAP sets two actionable items per region to address pressing policy gaps, serving as an adaptable blueprint that amplifies youth voices and drives change at local, regional and global levels.

In Asia and the Pacific (APAC), a region that represents half of the world’s undernourished population, youth leaders are calling for urgent action to address persistent nutrition gaps and rising food insecurity, which disproportionately affects women (FAO, 2023). The regional policy priority is to improve nutrition literacy and food labelling awareness while promoting climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and sustainable food production practices. This priority is considered critical to addressing health challenges and ensuring resilient agrifood systems. To bridge these gaps, the Youth Policy Board (YPB) members of the APAC region have set two actionable items: Increase awareness and knowledge on better nutrition and food labelling literacy, and capacity development for sustainable food production practices.

On 23 August 2025, youth leaders, experts and policymakers from across the APAC region came together for a capacity development session and dialogue, exploring how policy, practice and youth leadership can align to strengthen sustainable nutrition.

Megan Chong Hueh Zan from the Nutrition and Dietetics division of IMU University highlighted Malaysia’s rising health challenges driven by processed food consumption and low nutrition literacy among young people. A national survey found that fewer than 15 percent of youth meet fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, and fewer than 30 percent view food labels when making food choices. She pointed to initiatives such as Nutrition Month Malaysia, healthy canteen guidelines, front-of-pack “Healthier Choice” logos and her university’s cafeteria programme, stressing the importance of youth partnerships, co-designed resources and research to close knowledge gaps.

Fiame Leo, CEO of the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa, noted that dietary shifts toward imported, processed foods have fueled obesity, non-communicable diseases, and food insecurity, affecting nearly a quarter of Samoans. His organisation is developing pest-resistant crops, climate-resilient varieties and affordable farming technologies. He called for stronger regional cooperation and youth-centred approaches, adding, “protecting ancestral farming knowledge is key for climate resilience”.

Faith Laperal, an attorney and Executive Director of HealthJustice Philippines, stressed that front-of-pack labelling can “empower consumers to choose health in seconds”. Their organization, lead convenor of the Healthy Philippines Alliance, campaigns for front-of-pack food warning labels in the Philippines to combat the rising noncommunicable diseases among Filipinos–especially the youth. She urged youth to hold industries accountable and called for partnerships among nutritionists, educators and civil society to improve public health.

Audience discussions centred on bridging the gap between research and practice, empowering youth in sustainable food production and linking labelling with broader health policies.

The session concluded with a youth-led dialogue connecting global lessons to local realities. Farzana, from the WFF Bangladesh Youth Chapter, called for stronger nutrition literacy and food labelling awareness, noting that rural consumers rarely read labels despite their importance. Fawaz Bagoudou, a member of the Young Scientists Group, highlighted the gap between Japan’s balanced diet guidelines and the daily realities of busy youth, urging simpler and clearer front-of-pack labels. Finally, Kelly from the WFF Chengdu (China) Youth Chapter emphasised the role of technology and global exchanges, while stressing the need to ground initiatives in practical community engagement. The consultation underscored a unifying message: while challenges differ across countries, a healthier and more sustainable future depends on collective youth action.