The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) on Monday said climate extremes could push more than 132 million people into poverty by 2030 without collective action.
FAO Director-General (DG) QU Dongyu said this at the opening of the 2026 World Food Forum with the theme, “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow”.
The forum was held at the organisation’s headquarters in Rome, Italy and monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) via webinar.
QU said the growing frequency and severity of climate extremes, alongside biodiversity loss, water stress and declining agricultural productivity, required urgent innovation and accelerated action.
He said the challenges threatened rural economies and their capacity to support young people, stressing the need to scale up solutions to transform agrifood systems.
According to QU, the World Food Forum network has expanded to more than 100 national youth chapters in 2026, with regional platforms connecting young people, science and innovation.
These initiatives, he said, would help young people contribute to agrifood development and progressively assume leadership roles.
“Six years ago, this forum began as my idea for young people who want more than just a seat at the table.
“Today, it has grown from a vivid seed of an idea to become one of the largest, most unique global youth movements for agrifood system transmission.”
The DG said that governments, investors, and partners would be brought together around the concrete investment opportunities in the agrifood system and rural development.
“Investment is what allows innovation to move from concept to scale, connect the producers to markets, strengthen value chains, and turn market demand into national priorities.
“We already have 7.8 billion dollars committed, and the impacts are starting to become a reality,‘’ QU said.
He also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence, digital tools and scientific research in accelerating solutions to challenges facing food production and distribution.
According to him, the forum’s Science and Innovation Forum will showcase how emerging technologies and research can support solutions to agrifood system challenges.
He called for stronger partnerships to translate data into science; science into policy and investment into prosperity.
‘’The scale of the challenges requires countries and partners to learn, work and contribute together,‘’ the DG said.
NAN reports that the forum, which started on Oct. 8 to end on Oct. 16, will bring together governments, scientists, innovators, farmers, fishers, indigenous peoples and other partners.
The aim is to advance sustainable agrifood systems.
The forum will feature a line-up of events and high-level dialogues including ‘’The Rome Water Dialogue’’; ‘’Science and Innovation Forum”; ‘’Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum’’ among others.
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