Youth voices at COFI 37

The 37th session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Committee on Fisheries (COFI 37) was held from 7 to 11 September 2026 at the FAO headquarters in Rome. It brought together Members to discuss global priorities for fisheries and aquaculture. COFI is FAO's only global intergovernmental forum dedicated to these sectors, providing a platform for governments and other stakeholders to consider policy issues and develop recommendations for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

Youth engagement was an important part of this year's session, with the World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Initiative creating opportunities for young people to contribute their perspectives, share solutions and engage with policymakers and sector experts.

On 9 September, the WFF Youth Assembly Secretariat organized the Youth fisheries and aquaculture forum: Solutions for sustainable, resilient and equitable aquatic food systems as part of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 webinar series.

The youth-led, intergenerational forum brought together young producers, researchers, entrepreneurs, fish workers and emerging policy leaders to explore how young people can contribute to the transformation of fisheries and aquaculture. Discussions highlighted the growing importance of aquatic foods for food security, nutrition and livelihoods, as well as the role of innovation, digital technologies and aquaculture in shaping the sector.

A key moment of the forum was the launch of the Youth Recommendations for COFI 37, developed through a participatory global consultation led by the Global Youth Constituency on Fisheries and Aquaculture (GYCFA) with the support of experts from FAO. The consultation engaged more than 700 young people, bringing together perspectives from different regions.

GYCFA members presented the recommendations, highlighting youth priorities for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. The recommendations were then explored through dialogue with sector experts, creating space for intergenerational exchange and discussion on opportunities for meaningful youth engagement.

The forum also featured an intergenerational panel discussion on youth participation in fisheries and aquaculture, bringing together perspectives from young leaders and sector experts. Ruwini Basnayake, WFF Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) Prize Awardee from Sri Lanka, underscored the importance of collaboration and collective action, emphasizing that young people and women should not be expected to navigate challenges in isolation. She highlighted the need for stronger capacity-building opportunities and greater attention to barriers that often limit youth participation.

In the context of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, the forum highlighted the contributions of women and young women across aquatic value chains. Manuel Barange, Assistant Director-General and Director of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, delivered closing remarks, emphasizing the importance of continued dialogue and engagement around the future of the sector.

Youth participation also extended to discussions on innovation and sustainable aquaculture. On 8 September, Benjamin Bockarie, Co-Chair of GYCFA and part of Global Blue Economy Programme Sierra Leone, contributed to the side event Innovations in Aquaculture Production. The session showcased innovations across the aquaculture value chain in which Benjamin brought a youth perspective to the discussion, contributing exchanges on how innovation and knowledge-sharing can support more sustainable and resilient aquaculture systems.

Together, these engagements provided opportunities for young people to contribute to discussions at COFI 37 while connecting youth priorities with broader policy and technical conversations on the future of fisheries and aquaculture. These efforts reflect the growing role of young people as producers, researchers, entrepreneurs, professionals and emerging policy leaders contributing to sustainable and equitable aquatic food systems.