The World Food Forum

Youth Assembly

Youth Assembly

#worldfoodforum

Youth AssemblyThe World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Assembly is a structured, youth-led mechanism designed to ensure the meaningful and sustained engagement of young people in agrifood systems policy and governance spaces.

Bringing together diverse changemakers aged 18–35 from across regions and sectors, the Youth Assembly empowers youth to shape decision-making processes through policy engagement, advocacy, intergenerational dialogue, and collective action, advancing more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient agrifood systems at local, national, regional and global levels.

 

 

Vision

Our vision is to build sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems, driven by empowered youth as key agents of change.

 

 

Mission

Our mission is to empower, strengthen and connect youth to co-create solutions, influence policies and drive action for agrifood system transformation.

Objectives

Amplify youth voices

Ensure meaningful youth representation and participation in agrifood systems dialogues, policies and decision-making spaces.

Influence policy and action

Translate youth perspectives into concrete recommendations, commitments and actions at multiple governance levels.

Build youth capacity

Strengthen youth leadership, technical knowledge, advocacy skills and innovation capacities related to agrifood systems.

Foster collaboration and networking

Create safe and inclusive spaces for youth to collaborate across sectors, regions and disciplines.

Advance equity and inclusion

Promote gender equality, social inclusion, and the meaningful participation of marginalized and underrepresented youth.

Core focus areas

The Youth Assembly convenes year-round thematic and regional consultations that directly inform intergovernmental processes on agrifood systems transformation:

Constituencies

Guiding principles and methodology

The youth-led Youth Assembly on agrifood system transformation is guided by different frameworks and mechanisms that include:

  • the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) and its Follow-up Mechanisms – advancing youth engagement in national pathways, coalitions and accountability processes for food systems transformation;
  • the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and
  • the UN Youth Strategy: Youth 2030 – ensuring meaningful, systematic and inclusive youth participation.

The Youth Assembly is keen on elevating local realities, priorities and knowledge systems into important international processes and frameworks.

The Youth Assembly operates through a systems-based and youth-centred strategic framework that emphasizes:

  • meaningful youth engagement in decision-making processes, moving beyond consultation toward co-creation and influence;
  • evidence-based advocacy informed by youth-led research, lived experiences, and local realities;
  • intergenerational dialogue and strategic collaboration with policymakers, institutions, and key stakeholders; and
  • accountability and follow-through, ensuring that commitments translate into measurable action and impact.

Through this approach, the Assembly serves as a critical bridge between youth, institutions and communities, strengthening the connection between global agrifood systems commitments and locally driven action.

      

Structure

Proposing Negotiating Recommending
Intergovernmental processes
and FAO programmatic actions
NATIONAL YOUTH DELEGATIONS YOUNG FARMERS YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIANS YOUNG WOMEN YOUTH FROM ACADEMIA YOUTH FROM CIVIL SOCIETY INDIGENOUS YOUTH NATIONAL YOUTH CHAPTERS
Youth Policy Board (YPB)

An independent body led by youth for youth that prepares draft outcome documents, recommendations and action plans to ensure that youth voices are structured, representative and evidence-based as inputs into local, regional and global decision-making.

FAO Technical Divisions

Technical expertise and institutional knowledge

Young Scientists Group

Scientific evidence and technical knowledge

Partner Organizations

Technical expertise and organizational support

Youth Assembly Secretariat

Coordinates and facilitates the work of the Assembly and provides organizational and administrative support.

The Youth Assembly Secretariat

The Youth Assembly Secretariat serves as the coordination and operational backbone of the Assembly, ensuring the effective implementation, continuity and impact of its work.

The Secretariat supports and facilitates:

  • strategic coordination and day-to-day operations of the Assembly;
  • administrative, logistical and organizational support;
  • communications, outreach and knowledge management;
  • coordination of partnerships and stakeholder engagement;
  • facilitation of youth participation and consultation processes;
  • monitoring progress, follow-up actions, and implementation of key outcomes and commitments; and
  • connection to key intergovernmental processes and FAO technical divisions, etc.

Meet the team.

The Youth Assembly Stakeholders

The Youth Assembly brings together diverse stakeholders such as young farmers, young parliamentarians, civil society groups, Indigenous youth, academia, youth organizations, technical partners, national youth delegations and the WFF National Youth Chapters with the function to:

  • voice youth perspectives and priorities for agrifood systems transformation through the Youth Assembly Platform;
  • contribute to shape impactful youth-oriented agrifood policies by engaging in global consultations on agrifood related issues;
  • develop joint policy briefs, statements and action plans to ensure that youth voices are heard in key intergovernmental processes;
  • provide youth recommendations and context-based inputs to technical documents and surveys; and
  • ensure policy recommendations and youth statements are backed with science and the latest technical knowledge.

You can join as a Youth Assembly Partner Organization!

Intergovernamental processes
  FAO Technical Divisions
Youth policy boardYouth AssemblyYoung Scientists Group
  Partner Organizations
Youth Representatives
National Youth Delegates
Youth Organizations
Young Farmers
Academia
Indigenous Youth
Young Parliamentarians
Civil Society Youth

The journey

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2024

Laying the foundation

Building on the momentum of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), youth groups around the world released position statements on food and agriculture governance, establishing a global call for action.

The Youth Assembly initiated its first regional consultations, providing a platform for youth voices to shape future agrifood policies.

The launch of the 2021 WFF Global Youth Action Compendium marked a milestone, bringing together youth perspectives from across the globe, along with key outcomes from consultations.

Strengthening youth voices

Building on the foundation, regional and national youth policy statements were consolidated into the 2022 Compendium Analysis, amplifying the collective voice of youth worldwide.

Six regional consultations and a survey honed in on the most pressing youth priorities, guiding discussions on key global issues.

Thematic dialogues around COP27, water and biodiversity deepened youth engagement, ensuring that young people played an active role in global conversations.

Enhancing regional and thematic youth engagement

The 2022 WFF Youth Action Regional Compendium was launched, capturing local youth perspectives and emphasizing regional action.

The YPB selected one key policy priority per region for 2023 and 2024, steering the youth-led agenda for the coming years.

Thematic discussions expanded to include SDG2 (Zero Hunger), desertification, biodiversity and the intersection of agrifood systems with climate change in preparation for COP28. Youth also contributed to shaping UNFSS National Pathways, ensuring youth involvement in national agrifood system transformations.

A year of action

The 2024–2025 YPB cohort took the lead in consultations to develop the Global Youth Action Plan 2025–2026, the first-ever strategic framework for youth engagement in global agrifood systems.

Thematic consultations broadened to include critical areas such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), biodiversity conservation, bioeconomy, climate resilience, land degradation, fisheries and forestry—providing youth perspectives ahead of the UNFSS+4.

Key 2024 milestones:

  • Youth priorities were presented at the FAO Committees on Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture, as well as the Committee on World Food Security, shaping future policies.
  • Youth statement was delivered at the High-level Rome Water Dialogue, marking a significant step in youth advocacy for water governance.
  • Youth-led statements on agrifood systems and bioeconomy were launched, amplifying youth contributions to global debates on sustainable development.
  • The first hybrid Regional Youth Assembly session was hosted outside of Rome, at the 2024 Regional Conference of Youth for the Near East and North Africa in Amman, Jordan, marking a milestone in regional youth mobilization.

2025 Engagement timeline

Get involved

The Assembly is open to young people aged 18–35 working or interested in agrifood systems, including farmers, Indigenous Youth, researchers, entrepreneurs, students and policymakers.

Membership is guided by principles of diversity, inclusion and regional balance.

Join the Youth Assembly:

  • as an individual as part of the Youth Community to engage in thematic and regional sessions and consultations; or
  • as a Youth Partner Organization to co-create thematic and regional sessions and consultations.

Activities

News

Global Youth Constituency on Forestry launches at World Food Forum
Flagship
Global Youth Constituency on Forestry launches at World Food Forum
14/10/2026

A new global platform connecting young people and youth organizations working in forestry was launched today at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture...

Youth voices at COFI 37
Youth voices at COFI 37
20/09/2026

The 37th session of FAO's Committee on Fisheries (COFI 37) was held from 7 to 11 September 2026 at the FAO headquarters in Rome.

Young people take centre stage in shaping sustainable agrifood systems at UNCCD COP17
Young people take centre stage in shaping sustainable agrifood systems at UNCCD COP17
14/09/2026

Young people brought their voices, priorities and solutions to discussions on land restoration, pastoralism, soil health and sustainable agrifood systems...

Advancing smart farming through youth and women’s leadership
Advancing smart farming through youth and women’s leadership
07/08/2026

The session "Youth and women in smart farming systems" brought together policymakers, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and young leaders to explore...

Young women as leaders of agrifood futures WFF Youth Assembly launches global survey on closing the gender gap in STEM and innovation
Young women as leaders of agrifood futures: WFF Youth Assembly launches global survey on closing the gender gap in STEM and innovation
06/08/2026

The WFF Youth Assembly has launched a global survey to gather the perspectives of young people on advancing gender equality in science, technology,...

Consultation series: Youth principles for water governance and sustainable water management in agriculture
Consultation series: Youth principles for water governance and sustainable water management in agriculture
15/06/2026

In 2026, the WFF Youth Assembly will focus on the development of the Youth Principles for Water Governance and Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture....

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FAO Youth