Stories

The critical role that the food system plays in shaping our planetary and individual health is now undisputed. The food system is responsible for 30% of human-made greenhouse gas emissions and is the primary driver of biodiversity loss, with agriculture threatening 86% of species at risk of extinction. Three billion people worldwide cannot afford a healthy diet, whilst at the same time 1 in every 3 people is living with overweight or obesity. However, we know things can be changed with the power of youth.

The Act4Food Act4Change campaign is a youth-led movement. We envision global food systems change to provide everyone with access to safe, affordable and nutritious diets, while simultaneously protecting nature, tackling climate change and promoting human rights.

We launched our campaign in May 2021 with two elements; the Act4Food pledge, which brings together young people from around the world to focus on their personal actions and contributions to systems change; and the Actions 4 Change – a list of actions that we urge all people, particularly governments, businesses, UN agencies and young people, to take boldly and promptly.

The campaign is led by a global core group of 30 youth leaders from 26 countries, who provide strategic support and contributions to deliver the Youth #Act4Food #Act4Change initiative’s purpose and mission. With the help of our youth team, we been able to attend over 100 events across the globe discussing various elements of our food system. In 2021 we participated in or hosted events at the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), COP26 and Nutrition for Growth. The initiative is run in close coordination with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Food Foundation, two non-profit organizations acting as facilitators by securing funding for the initiative, supporting the smooth rollout of Act4Food Act4Change activities and rallying a coalition of supporters behind the initiative.

So far, more than 150,000 people globally have pledged to support the movement. At the end of our 7-month Actions 4 Change youth voting consultation in December 2021, over 100,000 youths chose their priority Actions 4 Change that they believe are crucial for shaping a new, sustainable food system. This year and beyond, we will take the results of our voting consultation and work towards implementing the top priority Actions 4 Change (to be launched in March 2022) in countries around the world.

We are so excited about the level of engagement of our global youth community so far and are excited to continue to expand our network and support more young people to get involved with food systems transformation. This World Obesity Day, we hope to empower young people both online and offline to take action and Act4Food Act4Change!

Who was involved?

Act4Food Act4Change, The Food Foundation, and The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)

Find out more about Act4Food Act4Change on their website and at @act4food or @act4foodglobal on all social media platforms.