WFF Youth Food Lab Global Incubator Programme launches its third cohort

The World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Food Lab (YFL) Global Incubator Programme has launched its third cohort. After two successful years of supporting young innovators, this year's YFL will work with 11 dynamic teams to address critical agrifood systems challenges. The programme began in March, providing a platform for impactful solutions.

Launched in 2023 by the WFF's Global Youth Action Initiative in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research and the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences, the YFL Global Incubator Programme has rapidly become a catalyst for change. With a firm commitment to sustainability, resilience and inclusivity, the Programme provides emerging agrifood leaders with the knowledge, tools and networks needed to turn their ideas into impactful solutions.

The YFL Programme concludes with a final showcase at the WFF flagship event in October at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy. This platform offers participants an opportunity to present their work to policymakers, investors, United Nations leaders and organizations looking to support innovative approaches to agrifood challenges.

This year’s cohort consists of 11 teams, with over half of the participants being women. Each team is addressing critical issues in agrifood systems - from enhancing food security and reducing waste to promoting climate-smart agriculture and fostering education in sustainable farming.

The selected teams are:

• AgroEssential - Brazil
• Brown Technology - Ghana
• EcoGrub - Nepal
• Fruitie Boost – Uganda
• Green Scholars - Ethiopia
• HydroRescuers - Bangladesh
• LixiLab – Colombia
• Madzi Tech – Malawi and USA
• SAMPADA – Nepal
• Success Tribe - Uganda
• Sweet Root – Indonesia

Through capacity development with workshops and masterclasses on a range of topics such as business development, communications and fund raising along with tailored mentorship from global experts, this cohort will be empowered to leverage the full potential of their ideas to transform agrifood systems. Beyond developing solutions, these teams will engage their communities and inspire others to take action for more sustainable agrifood systems around the world.