Background
- The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF).
- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will lead its implementation in collaboration with governments, UN entities, civil society, academia, development partners, and the private sector.
- The IYWF emphasizes targeted action to empower women working across agrifood systems.
- In alignment with the World Food Forum (WFF) Global Youth Action Initiative, the Youth Education Programme, in collaboration with Climate Bridges, will support the leadership and career development of 100+ young women from WFF National Youth Chapters in 2026.
Through ALEP, women aged 18–35 will gain knowledge, skills, and confidence to design and lead advocacy projects addressing challenges in agrifood systems.
Programme Structure
The ALEP is a one-year capacity development programme built around three progressive pillars:
1. Explore
- Equips participants with technical knowledge and soft leadership skills.
- Delivered through masterclasses on the WFF Youth Skills Hub.
- Focus areas:
- Practical tools for advocacy.
- Leadership confidence and orientation.
- Employability enhancement.
- Participants will formulate impactful local advocacy project concepts, connected to their National Youth Chapters and WFF outcome documents.
2. Encourage
- Provides personalized mentorship with experienced women leaders in agrifood systems.
- Builds network development through interactive group sessions with inspiring women worldwide.
- Monthly mentorship sessions and online discussions will:
- Share challenges, achievements, and lessons from women driving agrifood transformation.
- Inspire participants to take action on local agrifood challenges.
- Refine advocacy project concepts to ensure they are realistic, holistic, scalable, and sustainable.
3. Experience
- Five participants will advance to the final phase.
- They will receive grants to implement selected advocacy projects.
- Projects will:
- Address community-level agrifood challenges.
- Focus specifically on benefiting young women.
- Successful participants will graduate as agrifood systems education leaders.
- Pre- and post-programme surveys will capture feedback for future editions.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Apply systems thinking to analyze agrifood systems and identify sustainable, gender-responsive solutions.
- Design, manage, and implement evidence-based advocacy projects.
- Collaborate with peers, community groups, and partners to deliver educational and youth engagement initiatives.
- Communicate effectively through inclusive dialogue, storytelling, and ethical leadership practices.
- Demonstrate confidence, resilience, equity, and integrity in leadership roles.
- Apply soft skills such as communication, negotiation, organization, and self-management.
- Reflect on personal and collective actions to promote sustainable agriculture and advance FAO’s Four Betters.
Programme Timeline (2025–2026)
- Dec 2025 – Jan 2026: Call for applications, interviews, and participant selection.
- Feb – Jun 2026: Technical and soft skills masterclasses; mentorship sessions.
- Jun – Jul 2026: Encouragement sessions with global women leaders.
- Jun – Oct 2026: Project implementation phase.
- Oct 2026: WFF flagship event showcasing outcomes.
Application Guide
To submit an application, candidates must follow these steps:
- Review the Brochure
- Read the programme brochure to understand objectives, requirements, and expected outcomes.
- Check Eligibility
- Confirm that you meet all eligibility criteria before preparing your application materials.
- Prepare Application Materials
- Complete and Submit the Application Form
- After Submission
- Wait to be contacted.
- Selected candidates will be invited for interviews.
Application deadline: Jan, 7, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
Required
- Young women aged 18–35 years old (as of 31 December 2026).
- Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Demonstrated interest in community action through volunteer or professional experiences, preferably in agrifood systems, international development, policymaking, or advocacy.
- Must be nationals of, or based in, a country/territory with a WFF National Youth Chapter.
- Must be proficient in English.
Desirable
- Project management experience (independent or team-based).
- Interest in capacity development or training sessions on agrifood topics.
- Experience or interest in gender-related issues.
Geographic Diversity
- Participants will be selected from countries and territories with a WFF National Youth Chapter structure.
- This ensures broad representation, inclusivity, and varied agrifood system contexts.
Are you a young woman ready to lead change in agrifood systems? Apply now and be part of ALEP 2026, where young women rise to transform agrifood systems worldwide.
