World Food Day

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   The GO08 - World Food Forum Closing Ceremony is scheduled for 16 October 2026 at 14:00 (Rome time). The event serves as the finale for the 2026 World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event , which has been running from 8–16 October under the theme " Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow ." in the Plenary Hall at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The ceremony marks the culmination of discussions spanning the WFF's three primary pillars: Global Youth Action , Science and Innovation , and Hand-in-Hand Investment . The closing ceremony is being broadcast live with audio available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Italian.  Watch the GO08 - World Food Forum Closing Ceremony! Agencies, Funds & Programmes

   On Friday, October 16th , 2026 at 11:30 AM (Rome time) in The Sheikh Zayed Centre at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarter . in Rome, Italy will be held the "YM20 - Youth-Led, Regionally Rooted: Nourishing the Future of the Near East and North Africa" is an official session of the 2026 World Food Forum Agenda .The session addresses the critical need to engage young people in transforming agricultural systems across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. This geographical area faces prominent challenges, including high youth unemployment rates that often exceed 25%. By focusing on youth-led and regionally rooted initiatives , the event explores how the region's underutilised youth population can leverage innovation, agripreneurship, and sustainable technologies to build more resilient and nutritious food systems. It aligns with ongoing efforts by organizations like the FAO Near East and North Africa division to foster youth inclusion in fo...

  The"YM19 - Custodians of food heritage: Young chefs shaping our food culture" is an official event session held on 16 October 2026 during the annual World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the session was hosted live from the Sheikh Zayed Centre at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, and broadcasted globally. The YM19 session highlights how the next generation of culinary leaders serves as vital protectors and innovators of global food identity . The event primarily covers:  Preserving Culinary Heritage: Empowering young chefs to protect ancestral cooking methods, traditional recipes, and local food biodiversity . Promoting Food Security & Nutrition: Discussing how the youth can drive agricultural sustainability by incorporating underutilised or forgotten regional crops into modern food culture. Cultural Exchange: Cultivating a global network where emerging culinary talents can share ind...

On Friday, October 16th , 2026, The GO06 - World Food Day Ceremony is a flagship global broadcast event taking place as part of the 2026 World Food Forum (WFF) organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, this year's ceremony highlights the global theme " Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow. " It brings together international actions and initiatives focused on accelerating tech, data, and grassroots solutions to fight global hunger and build resilient agri-food systems . The event program features key addresses from the heads of Rome-based UN agencies, alongside special messages from UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Leo XIV. Presenters and speakers emphasize leveraging artificial intelligence, data, and digital innovations to ensure secure and affordable access to nutritious food for the global population .The ceremony includes the official presentation of the FAO annual Achievement Award , celebrating outstanding contri...

The "YM18 - Empowering Women Farmers through Innovative Policy Solutions" is a dedicated thematic session taking place today, 15 October 2026, at 18:00 Rome time (6:00 PM) at the Sheikh Zayed Centre inside the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarters. The session is a key component of the 2026 World Food Forum Flagship Event Agenda and aligns with the broader global initiatives of the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026) held at theSheikh Zayed Centre (FAO Headquarters, Rome).The session addresses how structural inequalities—such as restricted land ownership and limited financial credit—hamper women's agricultural contributions , exploring modern policy solutions to bridge the gender gap. Why this Matters? Economic Gap: Globally, women earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men in agrifood wage employment. Food Security: Closing this gender gap is estimated to significantly reduce global food insecurity, strengthen rural livelihoods, an...

  The "ST11 - Science with ambition: accelerating early career impact on food security" is a highly collaborative mentoring and strategy session held as part of the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event in Rome. The primary objective of this session is to tackle a critical bottleneck in global agricultural research : helping early-career researchers effectively translate raw scientific innovation into real-world policy and societal impact to combat food insecurity. Core Focus & Structure The event bypasses traditional, rigid lecture formats in favour of dynamic, short mentoring conversations pairing emerging researchers with senior scientists. The cohort moves systematically through five core dimensions of career impact: Articulating scientific ambition – Pushing for bold, solution-oriented research. Building meaningful collaborations – Fostering interdisciplinary connections. Engaging with policymakers – Knowing how to fra...

   On October 15, 2026, The technical session entitled "YM17 - Youth in the Americas Have the Solutions – Are We Ready to Invest?" organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) during the World Food Forum Flagship Event will be held . The session will highlight youth-led initiatives and explore strategies for securing investments to scale regional agricultural innovations  and address food security challenges. Watch the YM17 - Youth in the Americas Have the Solutions – Are We Ready to Invest? Agencies, Funds & Programmes

  On October 15, 2026, from 16:00 to17:30 the "IM23 - Joint Thematic Session " is a dedicated event held in theRed Room (A-121 INT),during the FAO World Food Forum . It bridges two major pillars: the Hand-in-Hand (HIH) Initiative Investment Forum and the Science & Innovation Forum . Focus Areas Converting Data to Actionable Intelligence: The session highlights h ow artificial intelligence can analyze vast amounts of geospatial and agronomic data to seamlessly match a country's national agricultural priorities with available global financing . Inclusive & High-Impact Investments: A major goal is identifying and scaling AI-driven mechanisms that explicitly benefit vulnerable demographics, including smallholder farmers, women, and youth. Stakeholder Collaboration: The forum brings together national governments, international financial institutions (IFIs), multilateral development banks (MDBs), and private sector investors to deploy integrated AI solutions for agri...

The "ST10 - Tipping points, cascading risks, and limits to adaptation for agrifood systems and food security" is a high-level scientific and policy session hosted on 15 October 2026 during the FAO Science and Innovation Forum. This forum runs parallel to the broader 2026 World Food Forum Flagship Event in Rome. The session targets a critical shift in global climate policy, addressing the reality that traditional, incremental farming adjustments are no longer sufficient to combat severe environmental thresholds . The event will examine agrifood systems through a dual lens: as sectors highly exposed to climate tipping points and as active drivers of environmental degradation via land-use change, emissions, and ecosystem damage. Themes & Structural Frameworks 1. Cascading Risks & Tipping PointsUnprecedented Shocks: A single heatwave can slash agricultural productivity by up to 50%, while outdoor agricultural workers face a 35 times higher risk of mortality from extreme...

The GO05: Food Safety and Trade Facilitation for Agrifood Systems Transformation is a prominent, high-level global session hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as part of the 2026 World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event . This strategic event highlights how aligning health regulations with smooth cross-border commerce serves as a core engine for transforming agrifood systems. Focus Areas of the GO05 Framework µFood Safety as a Foundation: Rather than treating food safety simply as an industry metric, the framework establishes it as the baseline for agrifood systems transformation. It underpins better nutrition, consumer protection, and public health outcomes. Trade as a Food Security Buffer: Well-functioning trade networks function as vital economic buffers against domestic food shortages driven by extreme weather, supply chain shocks, and crop failures. Harmonising Regulated Systems: Minimising non-tariff barriers by harmonising food safety standards across borders...

  On 15 October 2026 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM CET at Green Room, FAO Headquarters (Rome, Italy) The "ST09 - Towards water-efficient agrifood systems that deliver food security for all", a specialized thematic session will be held during the FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 , which is part of the broader World Food Forum (WFF) flagship event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) . The session focuses on navigating the complex intersection of water scarcity, climate change, and global food demands . Focus Areas & Core Concepts The Water-Food Security Paradox: Exploring the evidence-based trade-offs between water security and food security. It explicitly tackles the Jevons paradox rebound dynamic, assessing why technology-level improvements (like drip irrigation or solar pumping) often fail to yield basin-level savings without deliberate policy governance. Technology vs. Hype: Separating demonstrated impact from marketing claims regarding front...

On Thursday, 15 October 2026, from 14:00 to 15:30 (UTC+2) at the FAO Headquarters (Ethiopia Room) in Rome, Italy, and online. The YA08 - Rome Water Dialogue - Youth Assembly Session, a prominent hybrid event will take place.Organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as part of the broader World Food Forum , this session connects young leaders with policymakers to shape climate-resilient water solutions. Highlights & Focus Areas. Youth-Led Innovation: Showcasing how the next generation can drive sustainable water management in agrifood systems, which are currently the world's largest consumer of freshwater. Resilient Water Governance: Emphasising intergenerational dialogue and the integration of local perspectives into high-level policy making . Interactive Panel Discussions: Featuring youth perspectives on water governance, leadership initiatives, and capacity building to address global water scarcity . Watch the YA08 - Rome Water Dialogue - Youth Assembly ...

On October 15, 2026, the "YM16 - How to Reboot Agrifood Investment for a New Generation?" a dedicated thematic session hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the 2026 World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event in Rome will be held. The session shifts the global conversation from why we must engage younger demographics to how to structurally deploy capital to support them . Focus of the Session The YM16 platform explores provocative concepts and actionable mechanisms designed to: Lower Entry Barriers: Developing pathways to bypass traditional bottlenecks like capital limits, lack of rural infrastructure, and high land costs . Introduce Flexible Financing: Moving toward blended finance model structures, targeted starter grants, and specialized low-interest credit lines tailored for younger stakeholders . Build Multi-Role Human Capital: Encouraging youth to enter diverse tracks beyond manual farming—including agtech research, food production entrepreneurship, a...

Entrepreneurship can accelerate food security progress by driving innovation across agrifood systems, improving supply chain efficiencies, and building local economic resilience. This core prompt stems from ST08, a prominent thematic session hosted at the FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 (part of the World Food Forum ). The session explores how entrepreneurial frameworks can move past basic outputs—like funding raised or startups launched—to achieve scalable, real-world impacts in vulnerable regions. Entrepreneurship accelerates food security through several key structural pillars: 1. Technological & Financial Innovation Entrepreneurs design and deploy targeted interventions that bypass traditional infrastructure bottlenecks:Agri-Tech: Developing climate-resilient crop technologies, precision farming tools, and localized water-management systems . Fintech Solutions: Creating digital micro-finance, mobile banking, and crop insurance frameworks tailored to smallholder farmers ...

On 15 October 2026 at 14:00 (Rome Time) in the Plenary Hall, at FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy; The GO09 - FAO 100 Women Heroes Presentation Ceremony, a global recognition event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will be Held during this year's World Food Forum, the ceremony to honor 100 women from diverse backgrounds across the globe for their exceptional leadership and contributions to agriculture, food security, and rural development. The ceremony is a flagship event launching the celebration for the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 . The FAO received 609 nominations from 131 member states. After multiple evaluation rounds, 99 honorees were announced prior to the event, with the final 100th hero revealed live during the ceremony. The final list represents women from dozens of countries—including Brazil, China, Kenya, the UAE, India, Mexico, and Germany—who work in areas ranging from traditional knowledge preservation to agricultural mechanizatio...

The "ST13 - From Forecast to Action: Leveraging Science and Innovation to Reduce Climate Risks for Agriculture and Food Security" is a high-level technical session organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) . The session is part of the FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 and is scheduled to broadcast live on 15 October 2026.The event addresses a critical shift in global climate response: moving from reactive crisis management to proactive, anticipatory risk strategies in agrifood systems . While climate extremes (such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and El Niño oscillations) increasingly disrupt agricultural production and threaten global food security, rapid scientific breakthroughs now allow experts to predict these hazards weeks or months in advance. The primary challenge is no longer the forecasting itself, but ensuring this scientific data is successfully translated into timely, actionable decisions by governments, smallholder farmers, and stakeholders...

  The "ST06 - Broken by design? Rewiring investment & partnership models for research and innovation" is a high-level panel session at the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Science and Innovation Forum . It will focus on whether current agrifood research funding structures are failing the regions and people who need them most . The session confronts several systemic flaws built into modern research and innovation frameworks:Short-Term Bias: Capital cycles are often tied to brief, project-based timelines. This rewards low-risk, easily fundable research over high-risk, long-term scientific exploration capable of producing true breakthroughs. Institutional Concentration: Large grants increasingly favor merged institutions or single top-tier investigators. Critics argue this centralized funding model undercuts diverse research quality and limits localized impact. Research Duplication & Waste: Due to funders rarely demanding rigorous baseline evidence of what ...

  The "IM22 - High-level event: Unlocking finance for resilient coffee value chains through data and innovation" is a featured session at the 2026 World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event , hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) . The event will take place on 15 October 2026 and will focus on addressing the critical climate shocks, market volatility, and financing gaps threatening the livelihoods of roughly 25 million coffee-farming households worldwide . Key Themes & Focus Areas Smallholder Vulnerability: Approximately 80% of global coffee households are smallholders. The session explores how targeted financing can build more robust investment pipelines to protect these vulnerable families . Data and Digital Tools: Discussions centre on how digital tools, accurate data systems, and technological innovations can reduce investor risk and optimize supply chain transparency. System-Level Benefits: Beyond basic agricultural improvements, the forum highlights conn...

  "ST07 - Women Farmers in the Digital Age: From Access to Agency" is a high-level session hosted at the FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 . Scheduled on 15 October 2026, this event marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer and addresses whether the advancements in digital agriculture are equitably reaching and empowering women. The session moves beyond basic digital access to evaluate true agency, focusing on three major themes: Knowledge Encoding: Examining whose knowledge gets programmed into digital agricultural tools, advocating for the integration of women's indigenous and local expertise . The Gender Gap & Scaling: Investigating why technology pilots frequently struggle to scale equitably and how AI can bridge resource gaps . Shared Gains: Analyzing the specific roles men play in sharing agricultural benefits and standardizing equitable resource distribution. Watch the ST07 - Women Farmers in the Digital Age: From Access to Agency! Agencies, Funds...

  The "YM15 - Future-ready agrifood governance: are we ready to listen to youth?" is an official session of the 2026 World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event , organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The session is designed to bridge the gap between global youth advocates and formal policymakers . According to the FAO World Food Forum Program , it specifically addresses the following areas: Impact of Consultative Mechanisms: Evaluating the tangible outcomes driven by the WFF Youth Assembly. Connecting Youth with Leadership: Integrating young perspectives directly into FAO technical committees and high-level governance processes. Future-Ready Agrifood Systems: Fostering dialogue between youth representatives, FAO leadership, and member states to drive inclusive, long-term policy change. Why Youth Inclusion Matters in Agrifood? The discussion around youth governance highlights an economic and structural shift in global food security. Roughly 44% of young workers...

    The GO04 - Junior World Food Day 2026 is a high-profile youth event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as a core part of the 2026 World Food Forum Flagship Event . Taking place on 15 October 2026, this interactive session is specifically designed for students aged 9 to 13 to engage them in global conversations about food security, nutrition, and sustainability .  The program is designed to deliver educational content through high-energy, youth-friendly mediums, including:  Inspiring Conversations: Students get to hear directly from youth activists, innovation leaders, and international FAO Champions & Food Heroes who are actively reshaping the global food system .  Cultural Performances: The schedule is packed with music, storytelling, art, and live dance to celebrate international food culture. Special Guests: Features prominent chefs, fashion/sustainability advocates, and global influencers to motivate children to take prac...

The FAO Webcast and UN Web TV Live Schedule feature the high-level event IM21: Capitalizing on Opportunities: The Next Wave of Investments for Blue Transformation , broadcast on October 15, 2026, at 09:30 as part of the World Food Forum (WFF) flagship event . Primary Focus: Mobilizing investments and financial opportunities to support sustainable aquatic food systems, fisheries, aquaculture, and value chain upgrades under the broader FAO Blue Transformation Roadmap (2022–2030) . Areas of the Blue Transformation Sustainable Aquaculture: Expanding and intensifying sustainable production, improving genetic resources, and supporting small-scale equity. Sustainable Fisheries: Promoting effective stock management, eliminating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and ensuring safety and decent work. Value Chains: Reducing food loss and waste, advancing gender equality, and building efficient international trade practices for aquatic foods . Watch the IM21 - High-level ev...

  The ST05 - Resilience to Disasters and Pandemics: What can a One Health approach deliver? is a featured session broadcast from the Red Room at the FAO Headquarters in Rome. Organized as part of the World Food Forum (WFF) flagship events , this session focuses on how an integrated, cross-sectoral One Health approach can be leveraged to prevent global health crises, mitigate upstream drivers of disease, and build highly resilient agrifood systems . By balancing and optimizing the interconnected health of humans, animals, plants, and their shared ecosystems, a systemic One Health approach delivers several critical outcomes to defend against future disasters and pandemics: 1. Robust Early Warning and Integrated Surveillance Systems Cross-Sectoral Data Platforms: Delivers unified data management networks that combine human epidemiology, veterinary science, and environmental monitoring (such as tracking climate change impacts or habitat changes). Rapid Risk Anticipation: By tracking ...

The "ST04 - Drowning in data, starving for evidence-informed decisions: what futures for scientific evidence synthesis ?" is a featured session at the 2026 World Food Forum Flagship Event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as part of its Science and Innovation Forum 2026 . Session Overview The session addresses a critical gap in global food security and agrifood systems transformation : while massive amounts of scientific data are constantly being generated, the mechanisms to synthesize this data into actionable, evidence-informed policy choices remain severely fragmented. Key discussion points highlighted by the FAO and partner organization 3ie focus on overcoming systemic hurdles in evidence utilization.The agrifood sector lacks the robust, on-demand synthesis platforms seen in climate or biodiversity fields, while addressing diverse stakeholder formats ranging from rapid briefs to technical blueprints. Discussions cover overcoming under-resourced ...