The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and Hatton National Bank (HNB), has launched the World Food Day 2026 Youth Innovation Challenge, a nationwide competition encouraging university students to develop innovative solutions to some of Sri Lanka’s most pressing agrifood systems challenges.
World Food Day is observed annually on 16 October to commemorate the founding of FAO in 1945. Celebrated in more than 150 countries, the day raises awareness of food security, nutrition and sustainable agrifood systems while encouraging collective action to promote healthy diets and resilient food systems.
Held under the 2026 theme, “Innovate Today – Nourish Tomorrow,” the Youth Innovation Challenge aims to harness the creativity, knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of young people to develop practical and scalable solutions that can contribute to more efficient, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
The initiative is being implemented with support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation; Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources; Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Health and Mass Media; and Ministry of Science and Technology.
Technical collaborators include TRACE Expert City, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC), the Sri Lanka Agripreneurs Forum (SLAF), the Institute of Food Science and Technology Sri Lanka (IFSTSL), the National Innovation Agency (NIA), and Square Hub, which serves as the technical and facilitation partner.
“Our universities are home to talented young people with the creativity, knowledge and determination to solve some of our country’s most pressing challenges,” said Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr Harini Amarasuriya.
“Through the World Food Day Youth Innovation Challenge, we are creating opportunities for students from diverse disciplines to apply their learning to real-world problems while strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship across higher education. We hope this initiative will inspire the next generation of innovators to contribute meaningfully to building a more resilient, sustainable and food-secure Sri Lanka.”
The challenge will provide a national platform for multidisciplinary student teams from state and private universities and higher education institutes. Participants will develop solutions addressing real-world challenges across agriculture, fisheries, livestock, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, food security and nutrition.
Highlighting HNB’s involvement, Damith Pallewatte, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hatton National Bank PLC, said the bank believes young people have the potential to turn ideas into practical solutions that create lasting value for society.
“We are proud to partner with FAO and the Government of Sri Lanka on this initiative, which empowers university students to develop innovations that can strengthen agriculture, food systems and rural livelihoods, that is vital to the economy of Sri Lanka, while fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and problem-solving,” he said.
Vimlendra Sharan, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, also emphasised the importance of youth-led innovation in strengthening the country’s agrifood sector.
“The future of Sri Lanka’s agrifood systems depends on innovation and on the energy and creativity of young people,” he said. “Through this challenge, FAO and its partners are creating opportunities for students to transform ideas into practical solutions that can contribute to more resilient, sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems while supporting national development priorities.”
The competition will follow a multi-stage process, beginning with a nationwide call for concept notes. Following an initial evaluation, approximately 25 teams will be selected to participate in an online pitching round.
From these teams, the top 10 will advance to the prototype development stage, where they will receive mentorship from technical experts and industry partners to refine and develop their proposed solutions.
The finalists will then showcase their prototypes during the national World Food Day 2026 celebrations. The top five teams will pitch their innovations before a panel of judges and potential investors, with the top three teams receiving cash awards.
Beyond the competition itself, all finalists will receive national recognition and opportunities to connect with representatives from government, academia, development organisations and the private sector, potentially opening pathways for their innovations to progress beyond the challenge and contribute to Sri Lanka’s future food and agricultural systems.
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