Implementation of the GYAP in North America: Youth tackle food waste - Part 2, Solutions for food recovery

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.

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 #2: Solutions for food recovery

On 14 August, youth leaders and experts convened for the second workshop in the series, this time focused on food recovery and redirecting or reusing surplus food. Oliver Johnson from FoodRecovery.org explained how his nonprofit’s digital platform connects producers, retailers and schools with local hunger-relief groups. “FoodRecovery handles all logistics, from pickup scheduling to delivery coordination,  to make sure surplus food gets to people instead of landfills”, he noted, emphasizing how technology can streamline supply chains to ensure more edible food is rescued before it spoils.

Cynthia Yue, Advocacy & Engagement Manager at World Food Program (WFP) USA,  highlighted the Zero Hunger Generation initiative and called on youth to take direct action. She encouraged participants to use their time, voice and network to end hunger, noting that empowering young people and amplifying their creativity is central to sustainable change. The initiative offers mentorship, resources and opportunities for community engagement.

Young changemakers shared practical approaches: Shreyaa Venkat, founder of Nest4Us, described how her nonprofit mobilizes students across Washington, DC and Virginia through a “dual approach of awareness plus action”, blending outreach with hands-on service projects.

Jessica Davey, with the Canadian Cattle Association offered an agricultural perspective, explaining how livestock act as natural “up-cyclers”. By converting inedible by-products and surplus produce into high-quality protein, cattle help close the loop on nutrition while reducing waste. Davey emphasized that integrating livestock feed initiatives adds both economic and environmental value to agrifood systems.

Throughout the workshop, speakers stressed that collaboration is critical to systems change. From linking campus dining halls with food banks to connecting grocery store surplus with local shelters, scaling food recovery requires innovation, supportive policy and grassroots action. Looking ahead, the next workshop in September will focus on food recycling and composting. All three sessions will contribute to a youth-friendly resource guide on action against food waste, equipping young leaders with practical tools to drive change within their communities.