Youth Assembly capacity development session: Biodiversity for food and nutrition

16/07/2025

21 July, 15:00 CEST

The World Food Forum (WFF)'s Youth Assembly is calling on youth worldwide to participate in an online capacity development session focused on the critical links between biodiversity, food and nutrition.

Biodiversity is the foundation of resilient and nutritious agrifood systems. Yet, the erosion of biodiversity both in ecosystems and diets threatens global food security and health. Youth have a vital role to play in reversing this trend by promoting the sustainable use of biodiversity and ensuring its integration into food and nutrition policies.

This online capacity development session, organized by the WFF Youth Assembly in collaboration with the Food and Nutrition Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) and the International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA), supports the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition.

The session aims to raise awareness, develop capacity and amplify youth voices in shaping biodiversity-focused solutions that are inclusive, equitable and sustainable. It will feature expert insights, youth-led experiences and interactive breakout discussions to gather youth perspectives and co-develop actionable recommendations.

Session goals

Raise awareness of the links between biodiversity, food and nutrition, and the importance of biodiversity conservation;
Collect youth-driven feedback and recommendations to inform biodiversity for food and nutrition Initiative and its four core elements; and
Contribute to the development of the Youth Assembly’s Biodiversity Roadmap that will develop advocacy tools to accelerate the integration of biodiversity into agrifood systems transformation.

Expected outcomes

Increased youth understanding of biodiversity’s role in sustainable agrifood systems;
Strengthened youth engagement in biodiversity and food governance;
Youth-informed recommendations for implementing the CBD initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition;
A foundation for the Youth Assembly’s Biodiversity Roadmap.

Who should join

Young farmers and food producers;
Students and early career professionals in nutrition, environmental science and agriculture;
Youth advocates and organizations working on biodiversity and agrifood systems; and
Members of the WFF Youth Representatives Programme, Youth Policy Board (YPB), Young Scientists Group (YSG), National Youth Chapters and partner organizations.

This is your chance to join a global movement, connect with peers across regions and help shape the path towards sustainable, resilient and inclusive biodiversity focused solutions.