Happy International Youth Day - Transforming food systems

 International Youth Day

12 August

Transforming food systems

We celebrate next generation leader Sofonie Dala from Angola, for starting raising awareness about issues around consumerism  and over-consumption and the sustainability of lifestyles. Her work built on a culture of smart strategic thinking and creative innovation, inspires and guides youth action for both individual and systems change that enables sustainable lifestyles.

She intends to create a community cooperative with a sustainable activity model that empowers women living below the poverty line. 

Sofonie is starting to come around to the idea that we need to become more sustainable to protect the Earth for future generations. One of her main challenges is to seek all kinds of solutions to address the prevailing question: “How do we feed 10bn people on a hotter planet?”

Remember, everything you do in your day-to-day life has an impact on the planet, from the food you eat to the car you drive.

Our everyday motto is: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

Currently, her major task is to develop a simplified systems map to grasp and visualize the interconnections of different challenges: poverty in rural, local communities, education, malnutrition in children, agriculture and the role of governments and big corporates, all being part of the Angolan food system.

What she is looking for?

She is looking forward to bringing together diverse ideas and perspectives from international and national stakeholders, like:

Next-generation innovators and systems thinkers, entrepreneurs, farmers, scientists, public and private sector representatives, civil society representatives, activists, financial sector representatives, chefs, as well as individuals outside of the food and agriculture industry.

Eating a plant-based diet is a great way to live more sustainability.

Your support is needed to source solutions from digitally excluded individuals and/or communities in your region or localities. By doing so, you will help bridge the digital divide that inhibits equity in our food systems. This is a powerful opportunity to give a voice to those that would otherwise not have access and provide a democratised pathway for contribution to transforming global and local food systems.

The theme of International Youth Day 2021, “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health”, highlights the success of such a global effort will not be achieved without the meaningful participation of young people.