Partnership Opportunity Agriculture Policy: Join the WFF Youth Assembly Partner Organizations Programme 2026 to Shape Youth-led Agrifood Policy (Apply by Jan 15 2026)

If your organization works on agrifood systems, biodiversity, climate resilience, or youth engagement and you want a seat at the table where youth policy recommendations are actually crafted, this is one you should read all the way through. The World Food Forum (WFF) Youth Assembly is recruiting Partner Organizations for its 2026 programme — groups that will co-design sessions, nominate speakers, and help translate youth-led ideas into inputs for intergovernmental processes. Think of it as partnership with purpose: real influence, visible leadership, and the chance to work directly with youth leaders driving agenda-setting conversations on food systems.

This isn’t a passive affiliation where you slap a logo on a banner and call it day. Partner Organizations are active collaborators: you’ll help design interactive consultations, bring technical expertise, mobilize networks, and ensure the outputs are youth-driven and policy-ready. If your organization can combine subject-matter credibility with authentic youth engagement — and you want to amplify that impact on a global stage — this application is for you.

Below I walk through what the programme actually expects, who should apply, how to prepare a competitive submission, and the exact practical steps to meet the January 15, 2026 deadline.

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

Joining as a Partner Organization gives you influence at multiple levels. First, you help shape the agenda. Under the guidance of the Youth Program Board (YPB) and the Youth Assembly Secretariat, partners co-create session plans — deciding objectives, formats, and concrete outputs. You’re not providing a vendor service; you’re a co-author of what youth participants will discuss and recommend.

Second, you bring your technical know-how to a youth audience and get immediate visibility. That means your researchers, program leads, or policy staff can present, moderate, or mentor youth contributors. The exposure is twofold: visibility among youth networks and recognition in intergovernmental follow-up processes where youth recommendations are submitted.

Third, the role is catalytic for organizational partnerships and network building. Partner Organizations work alongside youth leaders from around the world, often forming sustained collaborations beyond the Assembly. If you want to recruit youth ambassadors for a program, test an advocacy approach, or pilot a participatory curriculum, this setting is ideal.

Finally, the programme gives you practical outputs: session plans, youth-led recommendations, and a summary report that can be cited in advocacy, fundraising, and strategic communications. That report becomes a piece of institutional capital — evidence you can present to donors or partners showing your contribution to global food systems dialogues.

Who Should Apply

This is for organizations that do two things well at the same time: have credible technical expertise on agrifood issues, and have proven, authentic youth engagement. “Credible” means publications, programmes, or projects in agrifood systems, biodiversity, climate adaptation, rural development, or food policy. “Authentic youth engagement” means youth appear as partners, not tokens — they participate in design, implementation, and leadership.

Examples of strong applicants:

• A regional farmers’ network in West Africa that runs youth entrepreneurship incubators and has piloted climate-smart finance tools.
• An international NGO with a dedicated youth program and a track record of policy brief development that includes youth authors.
• A university-led research consortium that includes a student advisory board and has produced policy-facing summaries on agrobiodiversity.
• A youth-led coalition that maintains regional membership across several countries and can mobilize young speakers and moderators.

If you are a private-sector body (agribusiness, agri-tech) you can apply — but you must show how youth priorities are central and how conflicts of interest will be handled. Small organizations with strong regional networks are competitive if they can demonstrate reach and capacity to co-design and deliver sessions.

If your work is focused in Africa (this tag appears in the call), highlight concrete examples: youth farmers trained, youth-led research on local seeds, or community-level climate adaptation projects. Show how you’ll recruit diverse youth participants and translate their voices into policy proposals that reflect regional realities.

Deliverables and Practical Responsibilities

Partner Organizations will be asked to:

• Co-develop a session plan with objectives, agenda points, and expected outcomes.
• Identify and confirm at least one qualified speaker, moderator, or facilitator per session.
• Design participation approaches that guarantee meaningful youth involvement, including pre-event preparation and follow-up.
• Contribute to youth-led recommendation drafting so outputs are structured for policy consumption.
• Support outreach on social media and through networks to boost participation.
• Advise on a summary report that captures decisions, outcomes, and actionable next steps for policymakers.

In short: plan, staff, engage, amplify, and report. Expect iterative work with the Youth Program Board and Secretariat in the months ahead of the Assembly.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

1. Lead with concrete evidence of youth engagement. Numbers are persuasive: state how many youth participated in your programs last year, where they’re from, and roles they held. But also include qualitative proof — quotes, one-page bios of youth leaders, or a short case study that shows youth-driven decision-making.

2. Propose a clear session idea. Don’t submit a generic statement about “youth and food systems.” Offer a one-paragraph pitch: the problem you’ll tackle, the format (panel, workshop, hackathon, fishbowl), the youth engagement method (peer facilitation, youth advisory reports), and a concrete output (recommendation brief, toolkit, policy ask).

3. Nominate youth co-leads in your application. If youth will be present only as participants, you’re less compelling. Applications that list youth as co-applicants or co-facilitators show the program you practice what you preach.

4. Show scalability or follow-through. Explain how the session’s results will be used after the Assembly — who will carry the recommendations into policy spaces, how you’ll support follow-up, and what concrete steps you’ll take to integrate them into intergovernmental discussions.

5. Be realistic about capacity. If you say you’ll mobilize 50 youth leaders across three regions but your organization has no history of such mobilization, reviewers will flag that. Present a credible mobilization plan and list partners or networks you’ll use.

6. Use visuals sparingly but effectively. Attach two photos or a short one-page infographic that demonstrates youth work. Imagery can make your application memorable — but keep it relevant and professional.

7. Prepare a succinct budget narrative. While the call may not fund costs directly, explain resource needs and any financial support you’ll provide (e.g., travel stipends for youth). Transparency shows you’ve thought through logistics.

8. Ask for a dry run with Secretariat if possible. If you have questions about session formats or expectations, contact the Youth Assembly Secretariat early. A brief clarifying question can stop you making avoidable mistakes.

These tips are practical and tactical. They aren’t secret; they’re simply what successful partners have done — prepare, show youth leadership, and be concrete.

Application Timeline (Work Backward from Jan 15 2026)

Start early. I recommend this schedule:

• December (6–8 weeks before deadline): Convene internal team and draft the session pitch. Identify youth co-leads and potential speakers. Gather evidence of past youth engagement.
• Early January (3–4 weeks before deadline): Finalize narrative and upload any supporting materials. Ask youth co-leads to review and sign off. Confirm speaker nominations.
• One week before deadline: Have two external reviewers read the application — one youth representative and one technical colleague. Incorporate feedback.
• 48–72 hours before deadline: Submit. Do not wait until the last day in case of technical hiccups.

If you plan to engage regional partners, start outreach in November so commitments are formalized by the time you write the application.

Required Materials and How to Prepare Them

Most Partner Organization applications include a combination of narrative and supporting documents. Prepare these items early:

• A clear session concept (one page) that includes objectives, format, and expected outputs.
• Organizational profile (two pages) outlining mission, geographic reach, and experience in agrifood or youth work.
• Evidence of youth engagement: short bios of youth co-leads, case studies, or metrics.
• List of proposed speakers and moderators with short CVs or bios.
• Contact person and a point of coordination who will work with the Secretariat and YPB.
• Any letters of support or partnerships confirming access to networks or facilitation capacity.

Make each document concise and targeted. Program officers read hundreds of submissions — clarity and focus win.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

Reviewers look for three overlapping strengths: relevance, authenticity, and feasibility. Relevance means your session tackles a real, specific gap in policy or practice. Authenticity means youth are central to design and delivery. Feasibility means you can actually deliver the session well and follow through on recommendations.

High-scoring applications:

• Provide measurable indicators of youth engagement (e.g., percentage of programmatic decision-making roles held by youth).
• Offer a replicable, well-structured session plan with a timeline and defined responsibilities.
• Demonstrate regional balance — for example, naming youth leaders from multiple countries in Africa if you’re applying as a regional partner focused on that continent.
• Include a communication strategy for post-session dissemination of recommendations to policymakers and multilateral forums.
• Show prior experience translating consultations into policy briefs or contributing to intergovernmental processes.

In short: show you’ll produce usable outputs, not just a loud conversation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (and Fixes)

1. Submitting vague session descriptions. Fix: write a one-paragraph pitch with a clear problem statement, format, and output. If you wouldn’t be able to explain it in two minutes, it needs work.

2. Treating youth as an afterthought. Fix: list youth co-leads, explain how they were selected, and show what decision-making power they hold.

3. Overpromising without resources. Fix: be honest about logistics and list partners who will help with mobilization or funding.

4. Missing the policy follow-through. Fix: specify how recommendations will be presented to intergovernmental processes — who will carry them and what steps you’ll take.

5. Poorly organized supporting documents. Fix: have a clean single PDF for bios and a separate one for evidence of youth engagement. Label files clearly.

6. Waiting until the last minute to ask clarifying questions. Fix: reach out to the Secretariat weeks before the deadline if anything is unclear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can be a Partner Organization? A: Global or regional organizations with a proven track record in relevant thematic areas and a commitment to youth engagement. That includes NGOs, research institutions, regional networks, and youth-led coalitions.

Q: Does the programme provide funding? A: The call is for partnership and collaboration. In many cases, Partner Organizations contribute expertise and in-kind resources. If financial support is available, it will be communicated by the Secretariat; do not assume funding.

Q: Can youth-led organizations apply? A: Absolutely. Youth-led groups that demonstrate reach and capacity to co-design and co-deliver sessions are strong contenders.

Q: Are private sector entities eligible? A: Private sector organizations may be eligible but must demonstrate transparent youth engagement and ethical safeguards to avoid conflicts of interest.

Q: What language(s) should the application be in? A: The official call is in English on the portal. If you need language support, contact the Secretariat early to confirm options.

Q: What happens after selection? A: Partner Organizations will work with the YPB and Secretariat to finalize session plans, recruit participants, and produce outputs, including contribution to a summary report for policy processes.

Q: How will selections be communicated? A: Successful applicants are typically notified by the Secretariat with timelines and coordination next steps. Unsuccessful applicants usually receive brief feedback.

Q: Can organizations apply with multiple session proposals? A: Check the programme guidance on the portal — some calls limit the number of session proposals per organization. If allowed, prioritize quality over quantity.

Next Steps / How to Apply

Ready to take action? Here’s a short checklist that will get you across the finish line:

1. Draft a one-page session pitch that names objectives, format, youth roles, and outputs.
2. Gather youth co-lead bios and attach evidence of past youth engagement.
3. Secure consent from proposed speakers and moderators (one-sentence confirmations are fine).
4. Compile a succinct organizational profile and a contact point who will coordinate with the Secretariat.
5. Review everything for clarity, have a youth reviewer read your draft, and submit at least 48 hours before the January 15, 2026 deadline.

Get Started

Ready to apply? Visit the official application page and submit your proposal: https://youth.world-food-forum.org/youth-assembly/partner-organizations/form/en

If you have questions about eligibility or need clarification, reach out to the WFF Youth Assembly Secretariat through the contact details on the page. A brief, targeted question now will save hours later — and might be the difference between an average application and a standout one.

This is a practical opportunity to turn youth-led insight into policy-ready recommendations. If your organization can combine technical competence with real youth leadership, start your application now and give your youth partners a platform that reaches policy makers.