The World Food Prize Foundation has announced a major expansion of its youth programming with the launch of the South Africa Youth Institute, which will be hosted at Stellenbosch University.
The new initiative places Mzansi’s high school learners at the centre of global conversations on food systems, innovation and sustainability, as the continent continues to grapple with food insecurity, climate pressures and inequality in access to nutrition.
Mashal Husain, president of the World Food Prize Foundation, said the programme is about investing in young people who will shape the future of food.
“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,” said Husain.
“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.”
On Thursday, 25 June, South African high school learners will gather at Stellenbosch University for an immersive, research-driven experience. The programme will see students exploring real-world challenges affecting local and global food systems, developing research-based solutions and presenting their findings to panels of experts.
Participants will also collaborate with university faculty, industry leaders and community partners, giving them a rare opportunity to step directly into the world of agricultural science, policy and innovation.
The South Africa Youth Institute is designed to be more than a classroom experience. It is a hands-on platform where learners can engage with science, debate solutions and connect their ideas to real-world food system challenges.
Global network meets SA youth potential
For Lawrence Haddad, 2018 World Food Prize Laureate and one of South Africa’s most prominent global food systems voices, the launch carries special meaning.
“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,” said Haddad. “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.”
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The programme will also open doors for top-performing students, who will become eligible for further leadership development and academic opportunities through the World Food Prize Foundation’s Youth Programs.
The South Africa Youth Institute joins a global network of 38 Youth Institutes hosted across the United States and around the world, becoming the fourth on the African continent.
“This event will be a transformative opportunity for learners from across South Africa, including those from historically under-resourced communities,” said Francine Barchett, former youth representative on the World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors and co-coordinator of the South African Youth Institute.
“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.”
Each year, more than 1 800 students around the world present their research and share innovative solutions through their Global Challenge papers at World Food Prize Foundation Youth Institutes. Hosted by leading universities and research organisations, the programmes immerse high school learners in urgent conversations on global food security.
Students gain hands-on exposure to science, meet local leaders and experts, explore career pathways and discover how they can make a meaningful difference in agriculture, food security and sustainability.
With its launch in Stellenbosch, the South Africa Youth Institute is expected to help build a new generation of agricultural thinkers, innovators and leaders who are ready to respond to some of the world’s most pressing food system challenges.
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