The World Food Forum (WFF) Thematic Youth Assembly on Water Management in Agriculture is envisioned as a youth-led, cross-sectoral dialogue platform contributing to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s efforts to strengthen inclusive water governance and advance the sustainable management of water resources in agriculture.

In 2026, the WFF Youth Assembly will focus on the development of the Youth Principles for Water Governance and Sustainable Water Management in Agriculture. The process will build on previous consultative outcomes and will include the collection of case studies and the formulation of policy recommendations aimed at highlighting:

The contributions of youth to addressing water-related challenges in agrifood systems; Opportunities to strengthen meaningful youth engagement in advancing sustainable water management across agrifood systems; and

The specific barriers faced by youth, particularly in the Global South, Indigenous communities and smallholder contexts, in accessing water rights, decision-making spaces, and technical resources.

As a first step in this consultative process, the Youth Assembly is launching a global call for best practices to identify successful examples of youth-led initiatives addressing challenges related to the governance and management of water resources in agrifood systems, as well as the barriers and opportunities encountered by young people in this field.

Young leaders and youth organizations working on these issues worldwide are invited to submit their initiatives and their perspectives on the topic by 1 July 2026 through the dedicated application link below. Submissions may be made in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.