The International Youth Day – August 12th is specially dedicated to celebrate young people all around the world and highlight their contributions to delivering the sustainable development goals, which have a significant impact on our future.
Within the food system, the contributions made by youngsters to global food and nutrition including malnutrition movements in recent years cannot be overstated. Malnutrition in all of its forms includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, and being underweight), insufficient vitamins and minerals, being overweight or obese, and developing diet-related noncommunicable diseases.
In 2020, it was anticipated that 149 million children under the age of five were stunted (too short for their age), 45 million were wasted (too thin for their height), and 38.9 million were overweight or obese. Undernutrition is responsible for around 45% of fatalities among children under the age of five. Overall, 1 in 5 death is linked to malnutrition, a challenging public health issue that require immediate attention across the globe- Africa, Asia, Americas and Europe.
Are we forward-thinking when it comes to food and the impact of the food we eat on our health and environment? As things stand, young people will inherit a four-degree-warmer globe, endangering the availability and nutritional quality of food they consume as well as the air they breathe. The question that all important stakeholders in the food systems must address is, “How are young people participating in altering the food system so that it is robust, inexpensive, and accessible to all?”
There are numerous steps that can be taken to encourage young participation in food system transformation. To begin, young people must be allowed to contribute to the global conversation about the food system, and their priorities must be taken into account by relevant key players. While young contributions are vital, building youth alliances to bring together youth expertise and voices will be vital during the food system transformation.
The theme for the 2022 International Youth Day, “Intergenerational Solidarity,” is particularly relevant to IntelliDigest because, each year, young and inventive individuals are brought together on a single platform to strive toward advancing the sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) through the Global Agrifood Techpreneur programme. This competition empowers young people to address food system sustainability challenge in their country.
IntelliDigest is delighted to be collaborating with the United Nations Food System Summit Alliance on the development of resilient local food supply chains, with an emphasis on local production of diverse and nutritious foods to meet local demand and need. With the support of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the UK-Science Technology Facility Council (STFC) Food Network, and world-class business schools around the world, young graduates on the Global Agrifood TechPreneur programme participate in an exceptional and interactive 6-week masterclass on entrepreneurship, technology, and food system sustainability to improve food production and distribution while putting an end to hunger, obesity, malnutrition, soil degradation, and food waste.
We are pleased with the young people that took part in the Global Agrifood Techpreneur programme 2022 and are helping to ensure that good food get to more people in the most sustainable and efficient way.
We invite you to register for the Global Agrifood Techpreneur Programme 2023. You can learn more about the Global AgriFood TechPreneur program here and submit your application here before the deadline on January 31, 2023.
The World is waiting for you!
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-working-inside-a-green-house-6510867/