The world’s food systems are under enormous pressure. Climate change, population growth, conflict, and economic inequality are stretching agricultural systems to their limits.
The United Nations is not waiting for solutions to emerge on their own. The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub has officially opened applications for the second cohort of its Youth Leadership Programme (YLP). This is a global initiative designed to find, develop, and empower young leaders who are already working to transform food systems from the ground up.
The programme is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It targets young changemakers aged 18 to 35 from low- and middle-income countries.
The application deadline is 13 July 2026. Time is short. Read everything below before you apply.
Programme at a Glance
| Organizer | UN Food Systems Coordination Hub |
| Age Requirement | 18 to 35 years |
| Target Applicants | Young leaders from low- and middle-income countries |
| Programme Duration | Through 2028 |
| Application Deadline | 13 July 2026 |
What Is the UN Food Systems Youth Leadership Programme?
The Youth Leadership Programme is not a standard training course. The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub designed it as a comprehensive leadership journey for young people who are already working on food systems challenges.
The programme’s first cohort proved what this investment can achieve. Participants from across the world contributed to national and local food system initiatives, shaped policy, drove research, built community-based interventions, and formed cross-sector international partnerships.
The second cohort will carry that work further. It will grow the global network of engaged, trained, and connected young food systems leaders who can sustain change long after the programme ends.
Why This Programme Matters Right Now
Young people under 35 represent the majority of farmers, food producers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in developing regions. They face the consequences of broken food systems most directly.
Yet they rarely sit at the tables where food policy is made.
The UN Food Systems Youth Leadership Programme directly challenges that gap. It gives emerging leaders from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean the skills, relationships, and institutional access needed to influence the systems they live within.
This is not exposure for its own sake. The programme equips participants to go back and lead more effectively in their sectors, communities, and countries.
What Participants Experience
The YLP is structured around several interconnected elements that build leadership capacity from multiple directions.
Participants engage in:
- Systems thinking and strategic leadership development
- Peer-to-peer learning with a global cohort of young food systems leaders
- Mentorship from UN food systems experts and practitioners
- Collaboration opportunities with partner UN agencies
- Practical leadership exercises grounded in real food systems challenges
- Networking with development partners, policymakers, and global institutions
This combination gives participants more than knowledge. It builds their ability to influence policy, mobilize communities, secure support for initiatives, and communicate across sectors.
Benefits of the Youth Leadership Programme
Successful applicants gain access to a range of professional, developmental, and institutional benefits.
Key benefits include:
- Systems thinking skills directly applicable to food security and agriculture work
- Access to a growing global network of peer leaders and UN experts
- Opportunities to collaborate internationally across sectors and regions
- Practical leadership tools to increase real-world impact
- Exposure to global food systems processes and United Nations frameworks
- Direct connections to development partners and institutions working at scale
Participants also join a community. The YLP alumni network continues to grow and collaborate beyond the programme period, creating lasting professional relationships across continents.
What First Cohort Participants Say
Sofia Bacquerizo from Ecuador participated in the inaugural cohort. Her experience reflects what makes this programme different from typical capacity-building initiatives.
She described the programme as connecting her with innovative leaders from around the world and contributing directly to her ongoing policy reform work at home. The peer learning and collaborative structure, she noted, helped her develop practical solutions rather than theoretical ones.
Her experience is not unique. First cohort alumni across Africa, Asia, and Latin America have reported meaningful contributions to food system initiatives in their own contexts as a direct result of programme participation.
Who Can Apply
The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub has set clear eligibility criteria for the second cohort. Read every condition carefully before applying.
You are eligible if you meet all of the following:
- You are aged between 18 and 35 years
- You are proficient in English
- You are a national of a low- or middle-income country
- You have demonstrated experience in food systems, climate action, sustainable development, or closely related fields
- You have experience leading or contributing to community, organizational, or sector-based initiatives
- You can commit to full participation in programme activities through 2028
Applicants from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean are particularly encouraged to apply. The programme prioritizes diversity of geography, background, and approach.
Priority Groups the UN Is Actively Recruiting
While the programme is open to all eligible applicants, the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub specifically encourages applications from the following groups:
- Young farmers and smallholder agricultural producers
- Food and agriculture entrepreneurs and innovators
- Policy advocates and government advisors
- Academic researchers and food systems scientists
- Science communicators and public educators
- Representatives of indigenous communities
- Local and grassroots community leaders
- Civil society actors and NGO practitioners
This deliberately inclusive approach ensures that the second cohort brings together diverse perspectives. The most effective food systems transformation happens when farmers, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders work together. The YLP is designed to make that collaboration happen.
Research and Policy Areas the Programme Addresses
The Youth Leadership Programme does not focus on a single issue within food systems. Participants engage across a wide range of interconnected themes:
- Food security and nutrition access
- Climate resilience and adaptation in agriculture
- Sustainable farming and land use
- Rural community development and livelihoods
- Environmental sustainability and ecosystem protection
- Inclusive economic growth and value chain development
- Systems transformation approaches and governance
These themes reflect the complexity of food systems challenges globally. Participants learn to think systemically — seeing connections between climate, nutrition, policy, economics, and community wellbeing rather than treating each as a separate problem.
UN Agency Partners Behind the Programme
The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub does not work alone. The Youth Leadership Programme draws on the expertise and networks of several major international bodies:
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
- United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO)
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- World Food Programme (WFP)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
Together, these organizations bring decades of institutional knowledge, field experience, and global reach to the programme. Participants gain exposure to all of them throughout their leadership journey.
Commitment Required
This programme runs through 2028. Applicants must understand and accept this commitment before applying.
Full participation is not optional. The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub designed the YLP as a sustained leadership journey, not a short event. The value of the programme comes from consistent engagement, peer learning over time, and the cumulative professional development that only a multi-year experience can provide.
Applicants who cannot commit to full participation through 2028 should not apply.
How to Apply
Visit the official UN Food Systems Hub website to access the application form and full programme details.
Official website: unfoodsystemshub.org/latest-updates/news/detail/applications-now-open-for-the-next-cohort-of-the-youth-leadership-programme/en
Prepare a clear account of your work in food systems, climate action, or sustainable development before you begin. Applications that demonstrate concrete experience and a clear vision for continued contribution are the strongest.
Application Deadline
The second cohort application window closes on 13 July 2026.
This deadline does not extend. Given how close this date is, eligible young leaders should begin their applications immediately.
The Future of Food Systems Needs Leaders Like You
The problems facing global food systems are urgent. They need people with ground-level experience, strategic thinking, and the commitment to keep working on them for years.
The UN Food Systems Youth Leadership Programme Second Cohort is one of the rare programmes that invests seriously in exactly those people. It offers not just skills training but a global community, UN institutional access, and a leadership platform that participants carry with them long after the programme ends.
If you are between 18 and 35, working in food systems, climate action, agriculture, or community development, and come from a low- or middle-income country, this programme was built for you.
