Youth Assembly
#worldfoodforum
Youth Assembly for a Better Food Future
Let’s create a true movement of change in the policy dialogues surrounding food and agriculture.
Young people are already taking action to transform our agrifood systems — from the local to the global level, from projects to advocacy, from entrepreneurship to culture, and so much more. The WFF Youth Assembly connects and empowers young people around the globe with different backgrounds to discuss their local priorities and challenges and identify innovative and actionable solutions for a better food future.
The Youth Assembly is a place where ideas flourish and actions speak louder than words. We believe in the power of collective action to bring about positive change in agrifood systems globally. It is a unique opportunity for young minds to converge, discuss policy matters and exchange diverse perspectives and experiences.
How?
Throughout the year, the serves as a year-round open and inclusive platform for young people to co-create and engage in discussions about various agrifood systems related issues. It brings together young individuals, youth entities, organizations and constituencies to discuss specific policy topics or issues within agrifood systems and develop joint recommendations or solutions. Co-created by passionate youth leaders and led by the WFF Youth Policy Board, our Assembly thrives on inclusivity, diversity and utmost respect for everyone.
The Youth Assembly will host virtual sessions regularly throughout the year to delve into important topics and conferences that play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our agrifood systems. This will ensure that youth voices are heard and actively contribute to ongoing policy discussions and debates.
The 2024 cycle of the Youth Assembly will culminate at the World Food Forum flagship event in a hybrid format from 14 to 18 October, with follow-up sessions until December. This will serve as the culmination of our year-long efforts, discussions and collaborative initiatives.
Get involved
Everyone is welcome to take part in our activities throughout the year. Whether you are part of a youth organization looking to collaborate, or an individual seeking to support the organization of events, there is space for everyone to get involved. The WFF operates on the grounds of inclusivity and transparency.
To learn more about opportunities to get involved, please join our online community on Slack for specific queries, email [email protected].
The 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
and FAO programmatic actions
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.
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!
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The journey
2021
YA - Journey 2021
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.
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YA - Journey 2022
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.
2022
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2023
YA - Journey 2023
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.
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YA - Journey 2024
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.
2024
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
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THEMATIC CONSULTATIONS AND SESSIONS
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REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS AND SESSIONS
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JOIN THE YOUTH ASSEMBLY
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YOUTH ASSEMBLY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
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YOUTH POLICY BOARD
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MEET THE YOUTH ASSEMBLY ALUMNI
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MEET THE YOUTH ASSEMBLY ALUMNI
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YOUTH POLICY BOARD
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YOUTH ASSEMBLY DOCUMENTS
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NEEDS ASSESSMENT
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