ECONOMYNEXT – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education, and Hatton National Bank, has launched the World Food Day 2026 Youth Innovation Challenge, for university students to develop solutions for agrifood systems challenges.
The initiative seeks to harness the creativity, knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of young people to generate practical, scalable solutions that contribute to more efficient, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, FAO said.
“The future of Sri Lanka’s agrifood systems depends on innovation and on the energy and creativity of young people,” said Mr Vimlendra Sharan, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
“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 be conducted through a multi-stage process beginning with a nationwide call for concept notes.
After evaluation, about 25 teams will participate in an online pitching round, from which the top 10 teams will be selected to develop prototypes with mentorship from technical experts and industry partners.
The challenge is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation; the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources; the Ministry of Environment; the Ministry of Health and Mass Media; and the 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 as the technical and facilitation partner.
Sri Lanka’s agrifood systems continue to face a range of challenges, including post-harvest losses, climate-related stresses, inefficient water use, pest and disease threats, weak market linkages, fisheries spoilage, gear loss, and constraints to affordable aquaculture management.
Universities across the country possess considerable expertise in research, engineering, digital technology and entrepreneurship that can help address these challenges through innovation.
The Youth Innovation Challenge will provide a national platform for multidisciplinary student teams from state and private universities and higher education institutes to develop solutions responding to real-world challenge statements in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, environment, climate resilience, food security and nutrition.
“At HNB, we believe young people have the potential to transform ideas into practical solutions, that create lasting value for society,” Damith Pallewatte, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hatton National Bank PLC said.
“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.”
The finalists will present their prototypes during the national World Food Day 2026 celebrations, which is observed annually on 16 October. This year’s theme is “Innovate Today – Nourish Tomorrow”.
The top five teams will pitch their innovations before a panel of judges and potential investors.
The top three teams will receive cash awards, while all finalists will gain national recognition and opportunities to connect with government, academia, development partners and the private sector.
In addition to encouraging innovation, the challenge aims to strengthen collaboration between universities, government institutions, industry and development partners, helping bridge academic research with practical applications that can benefit farmers, fishers, livestock producers and consumers. (Colombo/Aug19/2026)