Food research. /PHOTO;Courtesy
World Food Prize Foundation has announced the launch of the South Africa Youth Institute, expanding its global youth programming and strengthening efforts to nurture future leaders in food systems and agriculture.
The new institute will be hosted at Stellenbosch University, one of South Africa’s leading academic institutions, and will bring together high school students for an intensive, research-focused learning experience.
The initiative marks the fourth World Food Prize Youth Institute on the African continent and joins a global network of 38 Youth Institutes hosted across the United States and internationally.
Each year, more than 1,800 students participate in World Food Prize Foundation Youth Institutes worldwide.
Hosted by universities and research organisations, the institutes provide high school students with opportunities to present Global Challenge research papers, take part in hands-on science activities, engage with local and international experts, and explore career pathways related to agriculture, food security, and sustainability.
Through the launch of the South Africa Youth Institute, the World Food Prize Foundation aims to deepen youth engagement in food systems leadership while supporting the development of innovative, research-driven solutions to some of the world’s most urgent food security challenges.
The Foundation says the expansion reflects a growing emphasis on empowering young people to engage with complex food security and sustainability challenges at local, regional, and global levels.
Announcing the launch, Mashal Husain, President of the World Food Prize Foundation, said the South Africa Youth Institute represents a long-term investment in youth leadership.
“The South Africa Youth Institute embodies our dedication to nurturing the next generation of changemakers who will tackle the world’s most pressing food challenges,” Husain said.
“By engaging young leaders across South Africa, we are planting the seeds for a more resilient, innovative and food-secure future for the entire region.”
The inaugural institute is scheduled to take place on June 25, when South African high school students will convene for an immersive programme centred on research, dialogue, and collaboration.
Participants will explore key challenges affecting food systems, develop research-based solutions, and present their findings to panels of experts.
The programme will also connect students with university faculty, industry professionals, and community partners working across agriculture and food .
South Africn Lawrence Haddad, the 2018 World Food Prize Laureate and the only laureate highlighted both the symbolic and practical importance of hosting the programme at Stellenbosch University.
“As the only World Food Prize Laureate born in South Africa I was so pleased to learn of the new Youth Institute being established at Stellenbosch, one of the finest universities anywhere in the world,” Haddad said.
“To paraphrase Kofi Annan, one is never too young to be a food systems leader and never too old to support the young leaders. The new Youth Institute will ensure both of these things happen.”
According to the Foundation, top-performing students from the South Africa Youth Institute will become eligible for additional leadership and academic opportunities through its wider Youth Programs, offering pathways for continued engagement in food systems research and policy.
Francine Barchett, former Youth Representative on the World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors and co-coordinator of the South African Youth Institute, said the programme is designed to be inclusive, with a particular focus on reaching learners from diverse backgrounds.
“This event will be a transformative opportunity for learners from across South Africa, including those from historically under-resourced communities,” Barchett said.
“Grade 10 school learners will present solutions to critical food and sustainability challenges, engage with leading experts from the university and across the country and connect with peers and professionals to make a difference locally, globally and throughout their future careers.”
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