Three years after the launch of its interactive platform, the FARM-D Community of Practice (CoP) hosted its first-ever in-person event at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarters during the World Food Forum (WFF) 2025.
Bringing together leading experts from IFAD and the Enderase Association, the event also featured the participation of four active FARM-D CoP members.
Entitled “Youth in Action: Driving Innovation and Technology for Sustainable and Risk-Smart Agriculture,” the session was held on 15 October 2025 and gathered more than 50 participants.
From online to in-person engagement
Since its inception, FARM-D has aimed to connect Agricultural Risk Management (ARM) practitioners around the world. Through its interactive platform, the Forum regularly hosts live online events covering diverse ARM-related topics, while offering members access to news, resources, and opportunities to exchange best practices.
For the first time, during WFF 2025, FARM-D, through the Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM), organized a side event in Rome, Italy, that brought together three notable young members of the CoP in person. These participants were selected through a poll conducted among community members, based on their active engagement in the Forum and their professional achievements. In total, four members were elected: Brian Kithinji, Director of the Policy Action Initiative; Baron Nkoy, journalist, filmmaker, and founder of Agriculturable; Wagua Akara, agro-economist engineer and President of the Association for Environmental Protection and Agricultural Advice (APECA); and Kakule Sawasawa, Director of Rutuba Agritech. The first three winners made their way to Italy, while Kakule joined the side event online.
For a week, Baron, Brian, and Wagua actively participated in multiple WFF sessions. They deepened their understanding of ARM, explored new perspectives to integrating risk management into their respective fields, and built valuable connections with other participants from around the world. They also had the opportunity to visit IFAD headquarters and engage in official meetings with PARM staff. Their presence at the World Food Forum not only allowed them to engage in high-level discussions but also empowered them to share their experiences and amplify youth voices to contribute to shaping inclusive and resilient agricultural policies. Through networking opportunities, peer exchanges, and exposure to global experts, they strengthened their knowledge capacities and opened up opportunities for future collaborations within and beyond the FARM-D CoP.
Kakule was also able to contribute to the side event by sharing a quote that highlighted his experience and commitment to the Community of Practice.
Leveraging digital innovations and technology for ARM
As a digital platform itself, FARM-D seized this opportunity of organizing a side event to create a dynamic space for young people to engage in dialogue on the transformative power of digital innovations and technologies in building more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems. During the interactive discussion, the panel of experts explored how digital tools can help farmers overcome barriers to technology adoption, improve access to information, and enhance decision-making. The event also served as a catalyst for empowering youth, fostering collaboration, and strengthening networks among emerging leaders committed to advancing agricultural risk management through innovation.
Panellists underscored that access to relevant and reliable data is essential to support young farmers in making informed decisions and planning for improved productivity and market access. This requires facilitating their access to: (i) digital infrastructure; (ii) digital training; (iii) electricity; and (iv) digital content in local languages. The catalytic role of young people was also emphasized, as they represent innovators and solution-creators who are reimagining the future of food production. They are uniquely positioned to lead this much-needed transformation by enhancing access to digital innovations and technologies to advance our agrifood systems. To effectively include youth and facilitate access to technologies, it is crucial not only to involve them in discussions and forums, but also to actively engage them in policy and decision-making processes. This is key to creating an enabling environment for sustainable digital transformation. Moreover, fostering youth networks and peer-to-peer learning platforms can amplify their impact, strengthen collaboration, and empower them to co-design inclusive solutions tailored to local contexts.
Strengthening the FARM-D Community of Practice
This first in-person gathering marked a significant milestone for FARM-D. It demonstrated the power of connecting online collaboration with real-world engagement, bridging experiences, fostering innovation, and strengthening the global ARM community.
The success of this event opens the door to new opportunities for in-person collaboration and continued exchange among members. As FARM-D continues to grow, we invite agricultural practitioners, researchers, and development professionals to join the FARM-D Community of Practice and become part of a network committed to advancing constructive conversations in ARM for sustainable agrifood systems.
Watch the event replay
