WFF Youth Initiative celebrates one year of collaboration with Penn State University

A milestone anniversary and a deepening partnership marked a recent visit to Penn State University, as FAO and one of North America's leading academic institutions came together to celebrate a year of collaboration under the World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Initiative.

The visit brought together senior leaders from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), including Deputy Director General (DDG) Beth Bechdol, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Washington Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director of the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division Lauren Phillips and colleagues from FAO’s Office of Youth and Women (OYW), to reaffirm a shared commitment to youth driven agrifood systems transformation.

The visit marked several important milestones: the first anniversary of the WFF Youth Food Lab  (YFL) North America at Penn State, continued collaboration through the WFF Educators Network and Global Teach Ag Network (GTAN) and the growing strategic partnership between FAO and Penn State to advance education, entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership for sustainable agrifood systems. It also underscored the vital role of academic institutions as hubs of knowledge generation, talent development and evidence-based solutions, which are essential for driving long-term transformation in agrifood systems and empowering the next generation of leaders. 
Industry collaboration was another key focus of the visit, which resonated with FAO’s updated private sector strategy (2026-2030) that places emphasis on science and innovation as well as investment.

DDG Bechdol reiterated the importance of UN and academic collaborations during the visit and shared meaningful insights on how youth, educators and institutions can come together to move from ideas to meaningful impact. “We can’t go it alone anymore,” she said. “At a time when agrifood systems are under unprecedented pressure, partnerships like this are essential. That is why collaboration with Penn State matters. Land-grant universities bring deep expertise in research, innovation and extension, and we need to better connect that knowledge with global priorities and country-level impact.”

One year of the WFF YFL North America at Penn State: Advancing youth leadership

The Youth Food Lab North America at Penn State is part of FAO’s WFF Youth Food Labs initiative. This flagship program engages students and young professionals in addressing global food security and agrifood systems resilience. The network spans Europe, Asia, South America and North America, with Penn State serving as the inaugural U.S. host site.

Over the past year, YFL has brought together students, researchers and practitioners across disciplines, fostering hands on learning, mentorship and innovation.

Penn State students presented their work supporting youth-led startups from the WFF Innovation initiatives. This included Jest Foods from Uganda, for which students redesigned packaging that had previously shown a tendency to deform during hot filling. They also collaborated with Sampada from Nepal to address challenges related to paper pulp consistency, and with LixiLab from Colombia to develop a functional filter prototype capable of processing larger volumes of water. In addition, Penn State supported the winners of the Startup Innovation Awards (SIA), including Safi International and Millets Now, which, in collaboration with WrkFarm from YFL Penn State, are working with 3,000 millet farmers to build the largest repository of crop models.

During a tour of the facilities with Penn State faculty, students and youth participants, FAO representatives reflected on the Lab’s first year, highlighting how partnerships with academic institutions have strengthened its reach and quality.

Strengthening agrifood education through the Global Teach Ag Network

The visit also underscored the impact of ongoing collaboration between the WFF Educators Network and the Global Teach Ag Network (GTAN), a global platform connecting educators, universities, and experts to enhance food and agricultural teaching worldwide. Globally, 2 500 educators are supported through this collaboration. 

Through Penn State’s leadership and engagement, FAO has expanded opportunities for shared curricula, global classrooms, and educator exchange, ensuring that education remains a central driver of agrifood systems transformation.

By aligning GTAN with WFF initiatives like the Youth Food Lab, FAO aims to create a seamless pathway from education to innovation to leadership.

A partnership rooted in shared values

Throughout the visit, discussions focused on how FAO and Penn State can continue to deepen collaboration, by supporting youth networks, strengthening research to policy linkages, and ensuring that education and innovation reach those most affected by food insecurity and climate shocks.

The partnership reflects FAO’s broader efforts, to embed youth engagement and empowerment across its technical and policy work, moving beyond one off initiatives toward lasting institutional change.

As FAO and Penn State look ahead, the focus remains on scaling youth led innovation, strengthening global education networks, and translating collaboration into tangible outcomes for people and the planet. DDG Bechdol emphasised the importance of developing the next generation of leaders to fill critical gaps in innovation and development. Through strong institutional and organizational collaboration, pathways for future leaders can be created, leading to long term sustainable agrifood systems transformations.

About Land Grant Universities

U.S. land-grant universities have long served as engines of agricultural research, innovation and public service. Their integrated model of teaching, research and extension has transformed food production systems, expanded economic opportunity and strengthened rural communities across the United States. Today, these institutions remain global leaders in agricultural science, technology, and workforce development.

FAO partners with U.S. land-grant universities to advance evidence-based solutions to global agrifood challenges. Collaboration spans agricultural innovation, climate-smart practices, emergency food production, digital agriculture, youth engagement, nutrition, and sustainable resource management. By linking cutting-edge research with field-level implementation, FAO and land-grant institutions help scale practical solutions that benefit farmers and communities worldwide.