Implementation of the GYAP in North America - Youth tackle food waste: Part 1, Understanding food waste prevention

The WFF Global Youth Action Plan (GYAP) 2025–2026 is a youth-led roadmap to transform agrifood systems, built through consultations with over 2 600 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 North America, the policy priority focuses on promoting a timely and sustainable transition toward a closed-loop food supply chain, one that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency. This involves tackling policy and implementation barriers within university settings, identifying cross-functional solutions, and leveraging existing research and experiences to drive youth-led impact.

To help bridge the gap identified by this priority, the focus is on two actionable items: improving youth access to knowledge and resources on food waste reduction strategies, and creating an Indigenous Advisory Circle in partnership with the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus to ensure Indigenous voices are central to this work.

Panel Workshop #1: Understanding food waste prevention

On 7 July, youth leaders and food waste experts gathered to share strategies and spark action on one of North America’s most urgent sustainability challenges: food waste.

Maryia Halubok from the Canadian Standard Association (CSA) group painted a clear picture of why urgent action is needed. Halubok emphasized that setting clear standards is one of the best ways to tackle this crisis. Through research, committee management and initiatives like the K100 Food Loss and Waste Standard, CSA works to help municipalities and businesses define, measure and reduce food waste consistently. She stressed that accurate measurement and shared best practices are key to driving real results.

The session also featured insights from Marie Mourad and Megan Czerpak, who shared practical strategies to reduce food waste. Mourad described how her early experience with dumpster diving in France opened her eyes to food waste. Now working with municipalities in California, she helps businesses and organizations build partnerships with food recovery groups to keep surplus food safe and redistributable.

Megan Czerpak, from FoodMesh, highlighted the importance of clear communication. Her team helps direct surplus or imperfect food to where it is needed most, while also measuring the scale of redistribution to better understand impact. She emphasized that trusted information helps people make better choices at home and that aligned messaging avoids confusion that leads to waste.

Both panelists encouraged youth to start small, volunteer and take action within their networks. Mourad reminded young people that much of this work starts with volunteering — each step, she said, builds momentum. Czerpak added that listening is crucial: “never assume”, she urged. Even simple household changes, she said, can reduce waste, emissions and grocery bills.

Audience questions sparked thoughtful discussion around how to track food waste, maintain food quality through redistribution and ensure incentives do not place unfair burdens on smaller organizations or households. Speakers emphasized that education and awareness often have more lasting impact than inspection alone and that solutions must respect cultural and nutritional contexts.

Juliana Andrade Hay, a member of the Young Scientists Group, concluded by sharing new research into how habits, age and social factors affect food waste, offering fresh data on how conscious choices about fruits and vegetables can reduce waste at home.

Future workshops will build on this momentum, aiming to create a youth-friendly resource guide to help young leaders take real action — from preventing waste in their own kitchens to shaping policy in their communities.