Youth in Action: Building the Path to End Global Hunger

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva (LOG) organized an interactive workshop at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL), to engage bachelor’s and master’s students in generating ideas on the topic “Feeding the Planet by 2050.” Held in preparation for the visit of FAO Deputy Director-General (DDG) Beth Bechdol, the workshop aimed to showcase youth-driven solutions, highlight the importance of local action, and gather student input on pathways toward a hunger-free world.  

Building on this collaboration, the LOG Senior Liaison Officer and Youth Engagement Specialist and WFF Youth Initiative Focal Point worked with HAFL professors and researchers to organize a youth-led workshop focused on student idea exchange and active engagement. 13 students from HAFL’s bachelor’s and master’s programmes actively participated in the workshop, contributing diverse expertise in nutrition, food science, agronomy, and sustainable production. Their input provided meaningful youth perspectives and practical ideas for advancing real-world solutions to end hunger. 

As a basis reference, LOG colleagues shared the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31 and the WFF Global Youth Action Plan 2025–2026 Version 1.0., but the workshop was primarily shaped by the participants’ insights, experiences, and ideas. Their contributions drove the strategies aimed at achieving food security by 2050, ensuring a truly youth-led process. The workshop followed three core themes—Define, Identify, and Apply—which helped participants develop actionable messages and prioritize solutions toward Feeding the Planet by 2050. 

Step by Step Toward 2050: Building a World Free From Hunger 

The youth-led workshop at BFH-HAFL began by exploring the question, “What does it mean to Feed the Planet by 2050?” Students actively discussed key challenges such as rising food demand, overconsumption, and the effects of climate change—particularly how it impacts young farmers' ability to access land and resources.  

They critically examined global cooperation and political instability, noting that these factors often worsen food insecurity. From their discussions, students defined “feeding the planet” not simply as providing food for short-term needs, but as ensuring sustainable, healthy lives for all. Their vision centered on equity, peace, inclusive governance, and youth-led solutions rooted in both local realities and global contexts. 

During the “Identify” phase, students addressed structural barriers that drive food insecurity, including conflict, lack of transparency in policymaking, and limited access to resources—especially for young women and girls. They emphasized that without inclusion in decision-making and equitable access to land, education, and finance, youth remain sidelined.  

In the final “Apply” phase, participants proposed hands-on, locally driven solutions to transform agrifood systems from the ground up. They called for practical education, greater accountability, and meaningful youth involvement—not as supporters, but as key actors. Throughout the workshop, students expressed hope and determination to lead change at both community and global levels. 

Moving Forward 

In conclusion, the preparatory session created space for thoughtful dialogue and collaboration, spotlighting meaningful youth contributions on building resilient agrifood systems. These insights were shared with DDG Beth Bechdol during the main event and will inform future activities within the World Food Forum Youth Initiative, including the Local Youth Action and Youth Assembly streams—contributing to both regional and global food security efforts by 2050. This reflects FAO Geneva’s broader commitment to championing, facilitating, and supporting youth-centered initiatives and partnerships in Switzerland.