STI Forum Side Event, Youth-led Innovation: Empowering the Next Generation of Agrifood Innovators for a Sustainable Future

STI Forum Side Event, Youth-led Innovation: Empowering the Next Generation of Agrifood Innovators for a Sustainable Future

Angélica Jácome, Director, FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York

06/05/2025

• Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues and youth leaders,
• It is an honour to participate in this side event of the 10th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, dedicated to youth perspectives on empowering young innovators in agrifood systems for a sustainable future.
• I wish like to welcome H.E. Paula Narváez Ojeda, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations, and participants joining in person, as well as all those joining online.
• This year we mark FAO's 80th Anniversary by sharing our legacy of progress and our vision for the future. On the occasion of this milestone, FAO calls on all stakeholders to intensify efforts to empower youth and women as key agents of change.
• Today's session, organized by the Youth Innovation Lab of the World Food Forum's Global Youth Action Initiative, and other distinguished partners mentioned by Ed will highlight the importance of engaging youth from all over the world in science, technology, and innovation in support of agrifood systems transformation.
• We will hear from a wide range of speakers- from researchers and early-stage innovators in various global contexts, to advanced startups that are already transforming agrifood systems, who will highlight the role that governments, the United Nations, investors, Non-Governmental Organizations, academia and the private sector can and should play in supporting these young innovators to empower and scale their solutions.
• Youth will inherit the challenges we currently face, therefore, we need include them as we develop solutions to these challenges. Not tomorrow, but today.
• As you will see from the examples in this event, they are not lacking in passion, creativity or impactful ideas - they only lack the resources and opportunities to bring these ideas to life.
• We must ensure they have access to the tools they need to create a sustainable food future.
• Excellencies, distinguished guests and colleagues, I look forward to being inspired again by the young leaders, initiatives and projects outlined throughout this event. I encourage you all to support and empower them as we work together to create a better food future for all, leaving no one behind. Thank you.