Youth Assembly capacity development session: Youth position on agrifood systems in NDCs 3.0 ahead of COP30

The World Food Forum (WFF)'s Youth Assembly, in collaboration with YOUNGO, the Non Aligned Movement Youth Organization, ProVeg International  and the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS), hosted a youth-led capacity development session entitled “Youth position on agrifood systems in NDCs 3.0 ahead of COP30”.

Held virtually on 4 August 2025, the event brought together more than 250 youth leaders, policymakers and experts to discuss how agrifood systems can be better integrated into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and how young people can meaningfully influence climate action on the road to the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP30).

Riham Helmy, member of the WFF Youth Policy Board (YPB), opened the session and introduced the agenda for the day. She framed the discussion by recalling the significance of the Paris Agreement, adopted at COP21 and now entering its second update cycle with NDC 3.0 in 2025. Through an interactive quiz and live poll, she engaged participants on key concepts such as the 1.5°C target, and the links between climate change, agrifood systems, gender equality and resilience. This opening created an inclusive atmosphere, sparking curiosity and setting the stage for dialogue on how young people can shape national climate commitments and drive systemic transformation in food and climate policies.
Expanding the discussion, Aleksandra Wybieralska, Climate Change Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), highlighted the Organization's role in global climate policy and their direct linkages to agrifood systems. She also presented FAO’s  NDC agrifood system  Help Desk, which supports countries in strengthening their climate commitments and embedding agrifood systems into national strategies.

The session then shifted to youth-centered perspectives. Hailey Campbell, Executive Director of Care About Climate, underlined the importance of youth engagement in NDC processes and shared strategies to overcome barriers to engagement. Shirley Matheson, Global NDC Enhancement Coordinator at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) highlighted current gaps related to agrifood systems and the opportunities for youth to advocate for more ambitious, inclusive commitments. Building on this, Leyla Hasanova, COP29 Presidency Youth Climate Champion, stressed the intergenerational justice dimension of NDCs, while Navin Durbhakula of the ProVeg International Youth Board pointed to the absence of sustainable diets in most NDCs, sharing case studies from China and Denmark. Sanduni Rathnayake, representing IAAS Sri Lanka, outlined practical pathways for youth to engage in national consultative processes and influence policy outcomes.

To deepen their engagement, participants joined five thematic breakout groups on mitigation, finance, gender, adaptation and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRVs). Guided by youth moderators, they explored how young people can contribute to NDC processes through consultations, advocacy, storytelling, community data collection and policy submissions. The discussions highlighted both challenges and opportunities, emphasizing the need for capacity building, institutional accountability and innovative digital platforms to ensure youth voices shape NDC 3.0.

In plenary, moderators presented summaries from each breakout group, identifying common priorities: stronger integration of agrifood systems in NDCs, recognition of sustainable diets and greater youth representation in national climate planning.

The session closed with a strong call to action: the outcomes will feed directly into a youth guidance document on agrifood systems in NDC 3.0, consolidating young people’s recommendations to be presented ahead of COP30.