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Mountain youth innovation takes centre stage at the World Food Forum 2024

22.10.2024

The Mountain Youth Hub (MYH) organized a virtual side event featuring youth from the mountainous regions of Nepal, Ghana and Peru. These young innovators showcased their approaches to improving mountain agrifood systems during the World Food Forum (WFF) 2024. This side-event championed the Global Youth Action, one of the forum’s core pillars, emphasizing youth-led innovation to develop resilient agrifood systems in mountain regions, ensuring food security, biodiversity conservation and cultural preservation for future generations.

Prerana Lama, board member of the MYH, organized and facilitated the side event which showcased innovative solutions and projects led by mountain youth relating to sustainable agrifood practices in the unique environments of mountainous regions.

Sara Manuelli, Mountain Partnership Secretariat, opened the side event and highlighted that although mountain agriculture may not reach the profits and volumes of lowland production, it excels in producing high-value, high-quality products. However, the sustainability and resilience of mountain foods and crops are under threat due to climate change, biodiversity loss and economic hardships faced by communities cultivating these crops. Sara emphasized the pivotal role of youth in tackling these challenges, remarking, “by nurturing the potential of mountain youth, we are investing in a future of sustainable mountain development and resilient agri-food systems.” She reaffirmed the Mountain Partnership’s support for the Youth call to action, recognizing mountain youth's potential to drive sustainable development.

Paula Solis, Youth Network for Agrobiodiversity, shared how mountain youth in Cusco, Peru are leading efforts to safeguard seed varieties and enhance food security through fairs and educational initiatives. The network's app, "Las Cartas de Marcelina", preserves traditional recipes and practices. The annual Muhraimi Festival facilitates seed and knowledge exchange. Plans are also underway to create school gardens featuring a range of vegetables, medicinal plants and rare seed varieties, engaging the community from elders to youth, farmers and consumers.

Oshin Sharma, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, stressed the need to blend traditional knowledge with modern practices to sustain mountain agrifoods in Nepal. She pointed out that globalization has resulted in the neglect of traditional and Indigenous crops, impacting both diets and the agricultural ecosystem, with the introduction of non-local varieties. In the face of climate change, however, there’s growing recognition of the ecological and health benefits traditional crops provide. Oshin advocated for rebranding traditional crops, as globalization labels them as low status, overshadowing their health benefits, ecological value and traditional significance.

Radip Tandukar, GeoKrishi, highlighted the essential role of digital technology in enhancing mountain food security and agrifood systems in Nepal. Radip highlighted that mountain producers can benefit from the use of digital communication tools and processes which connect all stakeholders such as farmers, suppliers, technicians and local governments. This will enable them to make informed decisions regarding all aspects of their operations from cultivation to marketing.

Otuo Akyampong, an environmental scientist from Ghana, stressed integrating traditional Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge with scientific research to address climate change impacts on mountain ecosystems. He highlighted the challenges of traditional irrigation-dependent farming due to changing rainfall patterns in Ghana. Otuo advocated for co-creating, coordinating and collaborating to generate local impact, using a "start local, think global" approach.

Ritikaa Gupta, a board member of the MYH, wrapped up the side event by emphasizing that safeguarding mountain agrifood systems requires a collective effort and the inclusion of traditional knowledge, linking it with modern research to foster innovation.