FAO calls for stronger youth leadership in agrifood transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean

Rene Orellana Halkyer, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean, called on young people across the region to become actively involved in agriculture, production and all stages of value chains during the opening ceremony of the Global Youth Forum, held on Monday in Rome as part of the World Food Forum 2026.

According to FAO data (2025), one in six people in Latin America and the Caribbean is young, and an estimated 65 percent of this population lives in rural or peri-urban areas. In addition, around 39 percent of employed young people work in agrifood systems, underscoring the importance of strengthening their opportunities for employment, financial inclusion and participation.

During his remarks, Orellana highlighted the role that new generations can play in developing solutions and creating new opportunities for the agrifood sector.

“I want to invite all young people, women and men, to become actively involved in production and in agricultural production and value chains. Young people have leadership, imagination and creativity; they have the boldness to invest and develop businesses, and that is precisely the challenge we face today,” he said.

The ceremony also marked another step forward for youth participation from Latin America and the Caribbean in the World Food Forum, with Brazil, Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago joining its National Chapters.

The World Food Forum’s National Chapters are youth-led, self-organized platforms that bring together local organizations and partners to promote youth-led initiatives and more sustainable agrifood systems in their communities, cities and countries.

Through these platforms, young people can develop solutions to challenges in their communities, contribute to dialogue with policymakers and actively participate in the transformation of agrifood systems at the local and national levels.

With the addition of these four countries, Latin America and the Caribbean has expanded a regional network that already includes National Chapters in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru.

The expansion of this network aims to strengthen the capacity of new generations to turn their ideas into concrete action and increase their participation in decision-making processes related to the future of food and agriculture.

“Thank you for this opportunity and for guiding us towards the better future we hope to achieve,” Orellana concluded, addressing the young participants.