Nairobi: Two promising high school students are set to be selected to represent Kenya at the prestigious Iowa State Global Youth Institute Conference this October. These students will have the opportunity to present their research papers on accelerating agricultural solutions in the region.
According to Kenya News Agency, Eliud Kireger, the Director General of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), emphasized the crucial role of youth in shaping future food systems. Speaking at a two-day Food Security Youth Conference organized by KALRO and the World Food Prize Foundation-Kenya Youth Institute (WFPF-KYI), Dr. Kireger highlighted the importance of equipping young individuals with the knowledge, platforms, and mentorship needed to drive climate-smart, technology-driven, and sustainable agriculture.
This year’s conference brought together innovative high school students and teachers from across Kenya. They explored and presented youth-led solutions addressing food security, climate change, and nutrition challenges. The event served as a platform for students to share their project presentations, which were evaluated to select the team representing Kenya at the global conference.
The conference celebrated the achievements of school-based global food security projects, developed after teacher capacity workshops held earlier this year. Dr. Kireger noted the program’s tremendous growth, engaging over 95 schools, training more than 120 teachers, and receiving 129 student projects, 69 of which were selected for the conference.
John Wogman, Senior Program Manager for Global Youth Programs and Partnerships at the World Food Prize Foundation, underscored the critical role of youth in the food system. He emphasized the importance of training the next generation of farmers, educators, scientists, and researchers to tackle global food security challenges. Wogman highlighted that the World Food Prize Foundation, active in 21 U.S. states and several countries, engages over 1,800 students annually through research paper presentations.
Jan Lowe, the 2016 World Food Prize co-laureate, stressed the need to involve young people in food production, especially as the world faces unprecedented food system crises. She advocated for youth engagement across the food system, encouraging them to become scientists, policymakers, and advocates.
Verenardo Meeme, Programme Officer for the AATF’s Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), emphasized the importance of countering misinformation about biotechnology and informing youth about emerging agricultural technologies. Meeme highlighted the necessity of preparing young scholars to make evidence-based decisions and pursue careers in science and technology as they transition to higher education.
The OFAB is extending its awareness efforts by involving school science clubs to facilitate discussions on agritech trends, communication, innovations, biosafety, and agricultural production challenges in Africa, bringing together scientists, students, and farmers.
