Young Swedish voices at the World Food Forum in Rome – inspired by the future of sustainable agriculture

During this year's World Food Forum (WFF) in Rome, organised by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), representatives from all over the world participated to discuss the future of food systems, sustainability and innovation. The three Swedish high school students nominated by the SLU Youth Institute, a youth programme in collaboration with World Food Prize Foundation, were able to take part in many of the sessions that were given and meet world-leading experts in the field. This included a session on agreology that began with a powerful speech by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who highlighted the importance of youth and women empowerment in future sustainability work.

The highlight of the week was the international roundtable discussions where the students presented their challenges and solutions to international experts. All three made fantastic presentations and received both clever questions and positive feedback from the experts.

During the week, the students also had the opportunity to visit the Swedish Embassy in Rome to learn more about the work within FAO, the World Food Programme, WFP, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD.

For the participants, the week in Rome was both educational and inspiring.
– I gained new perspectives and friends, and learned a lot about how the UN and the World Food Forum work. Seeing the commitment of all the participants was truly inspiring, says Alfons, one of the Swedish students there.

Tobias, one of the other students, also describes the experience as both rewarding and thought-provoking. He believes that the trip gave him a deeper understanding of how global cooperation works and how people all over the world work together towards common goals.

– It was special to meet both researchers and other young people, and how broad the collaboration actually is between countries and continents, he says.

Both Alfons and Tobias express that the trip arouses interest in issues related to global food security and sustainable development. At the same time, they highlight the importance of young people getting involved and contributing new ideas to future solutions.

– I take with me new contacts, lots of lessons learned and a deeper understanding of how important agriculture is. I feel truly inspired by the commitment I saw, says Alfons.

This year's World Food Forum brought together hundreds from all over the world – from farmers and researchers to young entrepreneurs – with a common goal: to shape sustainable and safe food systems for all. And not least, this was a journey that the students will carry with them for a long time.