This blog text was authored by Aiita Joshua Apamaku and Rayan Kassem
The International Youth Day 2021, under the theme Transforming food systems, Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health seeks to highlight the success of our global food systems owing to the meaningful participation of youth.
“it is possible to face the climate crisis and disasters through solutions based on nature. The person who told us this story was Beto, who owns an agroforestry production ranch, Sítio do Bicho Solto. [...] This technique reproduces natural processes, making the soil healthier, more resilient and productive, unlike what is observed in conventional agriculture, which forces the existence of unnatural conditions leading to soil impoverishment and increased vulnerability. [...]” - Vitória Longuinho Holz, from Cicli - Pedalando Pelo Clima (Youth4Nature translation)
Why are food systems important for nature and the climate?
Food systems hold a great deal of significance towards ensuring not only resilience in various communities around the globe but also contributing towards the socio-economic development of communities, nations, regions and the globe. Food systems as defined by the International Food Policy and Rights Institute are the sum of actors and interactions along the food value chain. Wide ranging from inputs supplies, production of crops, livestock, among other various agricultural commodities and services to consumption and proper disposal.
Food security; the role of youth
Food security according to the United Nations on the other hand pinpoints to a sustained physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets the dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life of individuals in a society.
With the global populations projected to hike to over 2 billion individuals over the next 20 years, there is a realization that simply increasing production of healthier food more sustainably will not ensure human and planetary wellbeing (UN ECOSOC). To enhance the resilience of our food systems and foster food security, there are serial and interconnected challenges that have to be addressed; among which include poverty reduction, social inclusion, health care, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation; which cannot be accomplished without the meaningful participation of youth.
“Grandma said, 'There are golds in the forest, but unfortunately, today's people do not value it. Many of the trees that once served the people are all gone.’” [...] From there, I said within myself that there is need to be a nature-based approach that would allow the forest and the people to coexist without degradation and also be sustainably managed.” - Temitope Rebecca Abisoye (Y4N 2021 Storyteller), from Forest in the Stomach,
Youth around the World are crucial towards ensuring robust and self-sufficient food systems. The 2021 UN ECOSOC Youth Forum (EYF) highlighted among many issues the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent interconnectedness to human health, environmental health and food systems and how these have interrupted and exposed the vulnerability of the global food systems. With the global youth populations fast escalating, it is just evident enough that their participation and involvement is significant towards ensuring resilience of our food systems.
At Youth4Nature, we highlight the various and distinct innovative approaches being employed by youth to ensure a safer and healthier planet through food production systems. Learn more about how Youth across the Globe are working to ensure the resilience and continuity of food security.
The United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit in the lead up to the Food Systems Summit
The role of youth in transforming our food systems is now more prominent than ever. With many campaigns, pledges, and delegations aiming to improve all components of our food systems, a holistic approach targeting people’s livelihoods, indigenous rights, the role of women, biodiversity and climate targets, producers and consumers, and farmers is now being shaped in preparation for the Food Systems Summit in New York in September.
Ten youth delegates representing different organizations from across the globe have successfully voiced the commitments and demands of over 10,000 young people in several panels, presentations, and speeches during the pre-summit in Rome, Italy.
The pre-summit was the first global event to bring member states, stakeholders, youth, indigenous peoples, farmers, producers and consumers, and the private sector to discuss food systems. With over 500 in-person participants and over 20,000 virtual ones, there is global consensus that our food systems are broken. They are contributing to the climate and biodiversity crises, world hunger, food insecurity, conflicts, depletion of natural resources, poverty, premature deaths, and an unhealthy population. Participants have all come together in realization that our current food systems need to transform to a more regenerative, nature-positive, equitable, healthy, and sustainable one.
The youth have stated their concerns and urgency for action and decision-making. The Summit in September will be critical for the change voiced during the summit. Everyone expects bold decisions to be made, and radical and transformative change within the global understanding on how we produce, and consumer food.
Around 10 coalitions have been announced between different stakeholders at the end of the pre-summit. Youth are trying to formalize their engagement in the summit’s process further by demanding co-leadership and narrowing their demand on local and regional levels.
With the remarkable progress and effort made by youth in preparation for the summit, a lot more work is still needed. We as youth need to build stronger regional and local representations, shed light on challenges within food systems not brought up at the pre-summit, and create an informal process for holding decision-makers accountable all while pushing for a formal accountability scheme.