Youth Assembly
Regional
consultations
and sessions
Latin America and the Caribbean
The World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Assembly in Latin America and the Caribbean serves as a strategic youth-led platform dedicated to identifying and addressing the unique challenges within the region’s agrifood systems. Our mission is to empower young people as key stakeholders in agrifood systems transformation, ensuring their voices are central to regional policymaking processes.
For the 2026–2027 biennium, the Assembly’s work follows a logical progression from regional advocacy to targeted policy analysis. This process begins with a comprehensive consultative process, including a survey and sub-regional dialogues in Spanish, Portuguese and English, to formulate the Regional Youth Declaration for the 39th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC39). Following the conference, this foundational advocacy will transition into a phase of policy mapping and case study synthesis. This evolution ensures that youth-led recommendations are not only heard but also supported by rigorous analysis to facilitate their practical integration into institutional frameworks.
Our efforts remain aligned with the regional priorities of the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on efficient, inclusive and sustainable production; ending hunger and achieving food security; the sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change; the reduction of inequalities and poverty; and the promotion of resilience.
Timeline
2026
January
- Analyse and finalize inputs collected through regional consultations and surveys, capturing diverse youth perspectives on emerging trends and policy gaps across the region.
- Draft the initial “Youth declaration for the transformation of agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean” for presentation and finalization during the Youth Forum for the Transformation of Agrifood Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean in Brasília, Brazil. during the Youth Forum for the Transformation of Agrifood Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean in Brasília, Brazil.
- Present the declaration during the civil society consultation to inform regional youth priorities.
February
- Finalize the “Youth declaration for the transformation of agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
March
- Present of the Youth Declaration at the World Food Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, held on the sidelines of the 39th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC39). Also include the declaration in the official civil society statement presented during LARC39.
June
- Launch a targeted regional call for case studies to identify and document successful youth-led policy interventions and institutional engagement examples across Latin America and the Caribbean.
August
- Undertake policy mapping exercises and consultations to validate findings and assess the alignment between existing policy instruments and youth-led recommendations.
October
- Host an intergenerational policy dialogue at the WFF flagship event, bringing together young leaders, high level officials, parliamentarians and technical experts to present case study findings and examine factors for policy integration and discuss practical pathways for policy uptake within institutional frameworks.
Previous engagements
- 2021: Launching the Youth Action Compendium
In 2021, the Youth Assembly launched the Youth Action Compendium, highlighting youth demands in agrifood systems with a focus on FAO's four betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.
- 2022: Laying the foundation
In 2022, the Latin America and the Caribbean region initiated the development of its Youth Action Regional Compendium analyzing over 30 youth-led documents and holding virtual consultations and surveys. Key policy priority areas for the region included investments in small producers, inclusive education and sustainable agriculture, highlighting agroecology, food sovereignty, and Indigenous knowledge as a foundation for advocacy and regional initiatives.
- 2023: Identifying challenges and calls to action
In 2023, the Latin America and Caribbean region focused on agroecology, youth participation and educational models with a gender focus, culminating in a youth call to action.
- 2024: Narrowing the focus
By 2024, the Latin America and the Caribbean Youth Assembly emphasized youth-led initiatives, the importance of policies addressing food systems and the need to strengthen cross-sector collaborations to drive inclusive change, setting the stage for the Global Youth Action Plan (GYAP) 2025-2026.
- 2025: Implementing the GYAP
In the GYAP, the Latin America and the Caribbean region identified two major action items, including promoting mechanisms to improve access to finance and fostering multistakeholder partnerships and intergenerational knowledge. These items were realized through a financial literary resource guide called the ALCANZA Handbook, a training of trainers programme and intercultural dialogues.
Key regional documents
Youth declaration for the transformation in agrifood systems in Latin America and the Carribean
Youth-led recommendations in occasion of the 39th session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Carribean
Global Youth Action Plan (GYAP) 2025–2026
The strategic roadmap that guided regional priorities and implementation strategies during the 2025 cycle
Youth Action Regional Compendium 2022
A summary of policy priorities and actionable recommendations derived from regional youth manifestos and surveys
Read more about the other Regional Consultations
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