Young Parliamentarians Roundtable: Driving action for sustainable agrifood systems transformation

The World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Assembly hosted the Young Parliamentarians Roundtable during the 2024 WFF flagship event, bringing together regional leaders and youth representatives to discuss the critical role of legislative frameworks in advancing food security and sustainable agrifood systems.

Moderated by Youth Policy Board (YPB) members Mikayla Hyland-Wood (Australia, Asia and the Pacific) and Audrey Wong (United States, North America), the session emphasized the need to embed food security and nutrition within policy agendas to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and achieve the four betters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) Strategic Framework: better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life. Building on the Youth Assembly’s 2022 Regional Youth Action Compendium, the roundtable introduced the Global Youth Action Plan for 2025–2026 draft, formally launched on 18 October 2024, setting a comprehensive agenda for youth-led initiatives for the coming years.

The event highlighted regional priorities and actionable strategies, showcasing the commitment of young parliamentarians to drive transformative change in agrifood systems. It featured notable leaders who underscored the importance of legislative action in advancing food security and sustainable agrifood systems.

Hon. Matías Sotomayor (Argentina), Coordinator of the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean (PARLASUR), emphasized the need for consistent legislative action at the national level to address food insecurity. He advocated integrating the Youth Assembly’s Global Action Plan into national government agendas.

Hon. Jeremy Lissouba (Congo), Member of the National Parliament of Congo and Secretary General of the African Food System, highlighted the four critical roles of parliamentarians - legislation, budgeting, oversight and representation in agrifood systems conservation. He also noted the pivotal role of Africa's Youth Climate Hub in fostering cross-sector partnerships.

Hon. Loris Resinelli (Belgium), Rapporteur for the Belgian section of the Young Parliamentarians Network at the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie, discussed the network's commitment to combating global famine and poverty. He highlighted a resolution adopted in July 2024, which advocates for a holistic approach to food security, emphasizing dignity through health, employment and education.

Hon. Alexandre Gilbert Awassi (Gabon), Parliamentarian from the Gabon Transition National Assembly, stressed the importance of recognizing access to healthy food as a fundamental human right. He called for youth-led education programmes to transform agrifood systems and emphasized the need for political, social and economic stability in crisis-affected regions. Overall, the Young Parliamentarians Roundtable exemplified the power of youth-driven action in shaping sustainable agrifood systems. By aligning regional priorities with the overarching goals of the Youth Assembly’s Global Youth Action Plan, the session highlighted actionable pathways to address food security, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

The roundtable outcomes helped inform and refine the Global Youth Action Plan for 2025 - 2026, ensuring that youth voices remain central to policy processes. As the world faces mounting challenges in agrifood systems, the commitment of young parliamentarians to collaborative, inclusive and innovative solutions brings hope for a sustainable and equitable future.