The World Food Forum (WFF) is constantly expanding its presence and reach in Africa as South African Youth Chapter gets launched to extend the forum’s vision and to boost the country’s food systems and security.
The launch was born out of a collaboration between the National Department of Agriculture of South Africa and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Johannesburg, under the theme “Amplifying youth voices for prosperity in the agrifood systems.”
This action comes with the primary focus on creating a movement for and led by young people to transform how South Africa grows, shares, and sustain food. It also seeks to promote participation of youth in the transformation of the agrifood systems.
The unveiling of the South African Chapter is an addition to the WFF Africa National Chapters of youth-led movements with a common goal of working hand in hand to inspire, empower, advocate and driving youth-led actions that will aid in securing Africa’s food future.
Speaking at the event from FAO Office of Youth and Women (OYW), Mr Javier Bravo said, the forum has initiated three key projects that is, “Youth innovation, Youth education, and Food culture ” that seeks to draft transformative programs that will enhance agriculture.
He emphasized that, education has hanged and reshaped agriculture through advocacy and awareness creation.
The National lead for the World Food Forum (WFF) Ghana Chapter, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, also highlighted the importance of mobilizing the the youth into building vibrant agri-food systems.
Delivering her key note address on the journey of the Ghana Chapter, said, this focus has helped build a strong youth movement for the Forum, anchored on commitment, partnerships, and collaborations, which remain the main forces driving growth for the Ghana Chapter.
She emphasized that commitment, partnerships, and collaborations with government entities, educational institutions, stakeholders and the media are key factors driving a Chapter’s progress in the area of brand visibility and acceptability.
A pre-launch document reinforced that, “the voice of youth and their proposed solutions aimed at advancing the agrifood systems transformation is deemed valuable in addressing a myriad of challenges confronting them. The future of the sector is dependent upon their current active participation across the value chain.”
“Affording South African youth an opportunity to establish and participate in the WFF National Youth is pivotal for not only strengthening their voice but also enabling them to be the architects of the agrifood systems future.”
“Public-Private Partnership remains a cornerstone for the country’s youth empowerment trajectory in the agrifood systems.”
BACKGROUND
Youth engagement and leadership are deemed fundamental facets in the quest to attain food security and good nutrition across the globe. Clarion calls continue to be made for the development of systems, policies and programmes that engage more youth in agrifood systems. It is firmly believed that the agriculture and food systems can immensely aid in addressing the socio-economic plight faced by a multitude of youth, particularly in Africa.
In 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations launched the World Food Forum (WFF) – an independent, youth-led global network of partners that aims to empower young people around the world to actively shape agrifood systems for a better food future. It sparks youth engagement in food governance, fosters innovation and supports youth-led solutions for a sustainable future.
The WFF acts as a catalytic movement and driver of youth engagement in food governance, and serves as a knowledge centre and innovation lab, fostering and inspiring youth-led solutions. It actively contributes to the implementation of the UN Youth 2030 Strategy and enhances youth engagement in the follow-up to the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. Youth Participation is enabled through WFF National Youth Chapters. Convened by a network of self-organized national youth partners and organizations, in collaboration with FAO and Government, the platform is expected to be aligned with the principles and mission of the global WFF.
The WFF National Youth Chapters seek to provide young people with a platform to express their views by initiating and sustaining solution building in their communities, inform policy-making in their respective countries and regions, and build long-lasting transformative development in their local agri-food systems.
In South Africa, youth constitute a third of the population and remain to be the hardest hit by the socio-economic challenges facing the country. The National Youth Policy 2030 which resonates with the National Development Plan (NDP), regards youth as change agents and emphasises the need for intentional and impactful empowerment of youth that will result in sustainable socio-economic development.
Youth empowerment forms an integral part of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) which envisions to build a growing, equitable, inclusive, 3 competitive, job-creating, low-carbon and sustainable agriculture and agro-processing sectors.
As part of its June Youth Month commemorative activities, the National Department of Agriculture through the Chief Directorate: Sector Capacity Development hosted the National Youth Chapter Workshops as preparatory events for the envisaged launch of the WFF South African Youth Chapter in November 2025. Representatives of various youth organizations and other sector stakeholders partook in the afore-said workshops and paved a clear path for the ultimate launch of the country’s youth chapter.
