FAO Youth Day Precedes the 27th Session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission: NENA Youth Network Unites for Sustainable Forestry and Rangeland Management

Over 150 young leaders from more than 20 countries across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region came together virtually for Youth Day, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by Saudi Arabia, ahead of the 27th Session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission (NEFRC). 

For the first time in the Commission’s history, youth recommendations  were presented directly to the NEFRC plenary, giving young people a formal role in shaping  regional priorities for forestry and rangeland management. 

Youth represent nearly 60 percent of the NENA population, bringing energy, creativity and resilience to the region’s fight against  desertification, land degradation, water scarcity, and climate change. Yet, despite their critical role, young people are too often excluded fromdecision-making processes that determine the future of natural resources and ultimately, their own too.  To bridge this gap, FAO launched the NENA Youth Network for Sustainable Forestry and Rangeland Management ro connect young leaders and amplify their voices In the run-up to Youth Day, the network organized  webinars, bilateral meetingsand tworking groups  where participants shared experiences, identified policy  gaps and co-developed  recommendations to strengthen governance, accelerate innovation and build inclusive systems for forestry and rangeland management. 

Working groups explored three core areas: closing data and research gaps, ensuring inclusive governance, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Using participatory tools such as root cause analysis, youth analyzed key challenges and reframed them into actionable recommendations. Youth emphasized the need for accessible data platforms and practical learning opportunities to better understand the forest and rangeland challenges. They called for meaningful seat in forestry and rangeland governance processes to ensure their perspectives inform sustainable policies. They also highlighted the importance of innovation and incubation programs tailored to forestry and rangeland challenges, providing youth with the support to design solutions that restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and strengthen rural livelihood.    

The momentum  culminated in Youth Day itself, where young leaders  presented their proposals, exchanged views  with experts and charted a vision for sustainable land management.  The recommendations developed  inform NEFRC27 outcomes and contribute to global initiatives such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 

This year’s NEFRC session coincides with FAO’s 80th Anniversary and the Commission's 70th, milestones that highlight decades of commitment to protecting natural resources, strengthening food security and building more resilient rural livelihoods. By placing youth at the center of these celebrations, NEFRC27  reaffirmed a vital message:  the future of forestry and rangeland management in NENA depends on empowering the next generation to lead the way toward a greener, more resilient future.