Held on 15 October 2025, the side event, “Seeds of Inclusion: How women and youth-led cooperatives are transforming agrifood systems”, builds on the ongoing collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). The collaboration aims to promote inclusive, cooperative-led approaches to agrifood systems transformation, recognizing the pivotal role that cooperatives play in empowering women and youth, both as producers and consumers —particularly in the lead-up to the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) and the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF).

In the lead-up to the World Food Forum (WFF) side event, ICA-AP, under the ICA–EU Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA) Phase 2, nominated Atty. Ms. Dulce S. Bustamante, Chairperson of ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC), to represent young cooperators and engage with fellow youth leaders from across the globe in shaping a strong, collective voice for agrifood systems transformation.

Ms. Bustamante contributed to the co-creation of the Youth Declaration on Cooperatives in Agrifood Systems, which was developed through a series of online regional preparatory consultations held between July and September 2025. The declaration, endorsed during the WFF event in Rome, captures the collective vision and commitments of 32 young cooperators from 26 countries, advocating for youth inclusion, gender equality, climate action, and innovation in agrifood systems.

The event featured lightning talks from youth cooperative leaders and highlighted inspiring examples of youth-led cooperative innovation, from digital agribusiness hubs in Africa and Asia to sustainable farming cooperatives in Latin America and Europe. These discussions reinforced the cooperative model as a vital instrument for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Zero Hunger, Gender Equality, and Climate Action.

The Youth Declaration calls upon governments, international organizations, and cooperative stakeholders to create enabling environments for youth and women cooperators through access to land, finance, education, and technology. It further urges investment in cooperative education from an early age and recognizes cooperatives as catalysts for equitable, climate-smart agrifood systems.

Through her participation, Ms. Bustamante and other young leaders reaffirmed the ICYC’s commitment to advancing cooperative-led solutions to global agrifood challenges, ensuring that youth are not only beneficiaries but active partners in shaping the future of food.