Regional Expansion of the Food and Agriculture Model: A New Chapter in Youth Leadership Across the NENA Region
18 August 2023, Beja, Tunisia - Farah Ghozzi, 26 years old, young agri-entrepreneur in Amdoun, Beja. Her project based in distillation of herbes and flowers for the manufacture of natural cosmetics. she cuts herbs from her farm.
©Anis Mili
05/05/2025, Cairo
The Food and Agriculture Model (FA Model), a independent youth-led initiative that has transformed the landscape of student engagement in agrifood systems across Egypt, is now taking a major leap onto the regional stage. With the support of FAO, FA Model was established in Cairo University in 2018 and has now expanded to over 24 universities across Egypt with more than 2,000 active student volunteers. The FA Model is now launching in eight additional countries across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region: Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Palestine, Sudan, Morocco, and Yemen.
This ambitious regional expansion was marked by the completion of an intensive two-month online training program, culminating in a virtual closing ceremony held on Thursday, 1 May 2025. The training brought together passionate university students from 15 institutions across the region, equipping them with the leadership, communication, and organizational skills needed to establish and manage FA Model chapters in their respective countries.
In her remarks, Dalia Abulfotuh, Economist at the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and the regional youth focal point, applauded the students’ commitment and emphasized the vital role of youth in shaping more sustainable and resilient food systems. "The energy and innovation of youth are indispensable in the face of our region’s agricultural and food security challenges," she stated. "This initiative reflects our confidence in students' capacity to lead, influence policy, and foster community-level transformation."
The ceremony also featured the formal announcement of the president of the FA Model student activity at each university, selected through a rigorous and competitive process based on leadership potential, commitment to the cause, and performance during the training.
This regional rollout of the FA Model marks a significant step in scaling up youth engagement in the transformation of agrifood systems. By replicating Egypt’s success, the initiative aims to build a vibrant network of young agricultural changemakers across the NENA region—empowering them to raise awareness, initiate local projects, promote food security, and advocate for sustainable development.
The FA Model serves as a powerful platform for building leadership, fostering innovation, and connecting youth to global agrifood dialogues. As these new chapters take root, they represent a collective movement of future leaders, ready to address the urgent challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and inclusive development.
This ambitious regional expansion was marked by the completion of an intensive two-month online training program, culminating in a virtual closing ceremony held on Thursday, 1 May 2025. The training brought together passionate university students from 15 institutions across the region, equipping them with the leadership, communication, and organizational skills needed to establish and manage FA Model chapters in their respective countries.
In her remarks, Dalia Abulfotuh, Economist at the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and the regional youth focal point, applauded the students’ commitment and emphasized the vital role of youth in shaping more sustainable and resilient food systems. "The energy and innovation of youth are indispensable in the face of our region’s agricultural and food security challenges," she stated. "This initiative reflects our confidence in students' capacity to lead, influence policy, and foster community-level transformation."
The ceremony also featured the formal announcement of the president of the FA Model student activity at each university, selected through a rigorous and competitive process based on leadership potential, commitment to the cause, and performance during the training.
This regional rollout of the FA Model marks a significant step in scaling up youth engagement in the transformation of agrifood systems. By replicating Egypt’s success, the initiative aims to build a vibrant network of young agricultural changemakers across the NENA region—empowering them to raise awareness, initiate local projects, promote food security, and advocate for sustainable development.
The FA Model serves as a powerful platform for building leadership, fostering innovation, and connecting youth to global agrifood dialogues. As these new chapters take root, they represent a collective movement of future leaders, ready to address the urgent challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and inclusive development.