Welcome to World Agriculture Forum
Youth are the demographic engine of the 21st century- a generation defined by entrepreneurial energy, digital innovation, courage to challenge the status quo, and resilience in the face of global uncertainty. Yet, despite constituting a vast share of the world’s population and agri-food workforce, young people remain sidelined by deep-rooted barriers: limited land and finance access, minimal policy influence, pervasive stereotypes that disconnect agriculture from ambition, and systems slow to adapt to new ideas.
Only a small fraction of youth in agriculture own land, and many are stymied by outdated narratives and lack of opportunity. The result: global agriculture sector craving for innovation but remain disconnected from those most capable of driving transformation. The agriculture sector however, of late, is witnessing a surge of youth, entering into it with new ideas and innovation, driving the agtech startups landscape with digital technologies. And this pace is accelerating.
The World Agriculture Forum (WAF) recognizes this challenge, and also the opportunity the sector presents, and seeks to promote ideas and innovation through greater youth participation. The WAF Global Youth Council is a permanent global platform designed to place youth at the helm of agricultural transformation, a space where they can govern, represent, and directly shape the future of global agri-food systems. Embedded within WAF’s institutional architecture, the Global Youth Council aims to institutionalize youth leadership as a constituency with a voice, a vote, and a vision.
The Global WAF Youth Council will:
Input youth-driven priorities into WAF Summits, Country Councils, and science/policy frameworks.
Elevate agri-tech, start-ups, and youth-led business models that transform food systems.
Present farming as a dynamic, purpose-driven, and profitable sector at the heart of tomorrow’s economy- magnetizing young talent.
Build networks across continents, linking young farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and activists into a global movement.
Prepare youth for long-term roles in WAF, governments, and agribusiness, ensuring intergenerational continuity in leadership.
The WAF Global Youth Council ensures that youth are not just beneficiaries of agricultural policies but co-architects of food system transformation. It will channel youth leadership into WAF’s global structures to guarantee their representation in decision-making, facilitate dialogue and ignite innovation that redefines agriculture as a sector of opportunity, dignity, and sustainability.
The WAF Global Youth Council is more than advocacy. It’s a structural shift in how global agriculture is governed. By making youth to lead and shape WAF’s strategy and the future of food, it ensures that global strategies are designed with youth, not just for youth. In a world where food systems must be reimagined to address hunger, climate change, and inequality, the Youth Council is where transformation begins from the ground up, led by those who will inherit—and shape the future.
Permanent body under WAF governance framework, distinct from working groups or functional WAF councils.
Led by rotating youth leaders (Global South and Global North), guided by a diverse youth steering committee from different countries and continents.
Inviting youths from around the world, who are passionate to contribute to agriculture and farmers
Nominations from WAF Country Councils (ensuring national representation).
Institutional partnerships (universities, youth farmer groups, incubators, startups).
Global open call for outstanding youth leaders—spanning farmers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and startups etc.
Convene the WAF Global Youth Forum annually.
Maintain a digital hub for peer exchange, capacity building, and innovation showcases.
Provide structured input into Country Councils and WAF functional councils.
Act as a launchpad for the next generation of agricultural leaders—connecting youth with pathways for influence, investment, and impact.
Connecting youth to the opportunities in agriculture and food systems through institutional partnerships
Facilitating ideas to actualise and innovations to scale, through forward and backward linkages
