On November 4, young farmers from the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) Gymnasium Programme, including current students and alumni, convened virtually with representatives from the Right to Food (RtF) team within the Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The event facilitated a crucial exchange focused on the integral connection between the right to farm and the right to food.
Representing FAO’s RtF team were Juan Echanove, Right to Food Lead; Ana Maria Suarez Dussan, Human Rights Specialist; Inmaculada del Pino Álvarez, Food Security and Nutrition Advisor; Eloisa Caixeta Cunha, Right to Food Specialist, and Paolo Tedeschini Lalli, from FAO’s RtF Team
During the session, Giulia De Castro, WFO Youth Liaison and Initiatives Manager, presented the WFO Gymnasium Programme, highlighting its uniqueness in empowering young farmers with leadership and advocacy skills to actively participate in international high-level advocacy dialogues and effectively amplify the voice of world farmers in global policy arenas. She acknowledged young farmers as key partners in achieving sustainable food systems and advancing the right to food globally.
The FAO’s Right to Food (RtF) team presented their work, specifically focusing on the “Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security”, marking their 20th anniversary this year. These voluntary guidelines, endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and adopted by the FAO Council in 2004, provide a foundation for countries to integrate the right to food into national policies.
An engaging interactive Q&A session followed, where young farmers and FAO representatives discussed the challenges of implementing the right to food, its connection to the right to farm, and the policy frameworks that support youth engagement in sustainable farming. This exchange outlined how young farmers’ access to resources, training, and fair market prices that make farming profitable is crucial for realising the right to food. As Juan Echanove emphasised, “Focusing on youth in promoting the right to food is not simply an option—it’s truly an imperative. Given the particular vulnerability of young people, addressing their needs within agri-food systems is essential.”
WFO looks forward to future collaboration with FAO’s Right to Food team (ESP) to create more opportunities for youth empowerment and knowledge exchange, under a shared vision of addressing food security challenges through collective action.