The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, alongside Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education and Hatton National Bank, has launched a nationwide competition inviting university students to develop solutions for the country's agrifood system challenges.
The World Food Day 2026 Youth Innovation Challenge seeks to engage young innovators in addressing persistent problems within Sri Lanka's agricultural and food sectors. The initiative aims to transform student ideas into practical, scalable solutions that can enhance efficiency, resilience and sustainability across the agrifood landscape, according to organizers.
The competition will operate through a structured selection process beginning with a nationwide call for concept proposals. After initial evaluation, approximately 25 teams will advance to an online pitching stage, from which the top 10 will be chosen to develop working prototypes. Selected teams will receive mentorship from technical experts and industry partners to refine their solutions. The challenge addresses multiple documented issues affecting Sri Lanka's food systems, including post-harvest losses, climate-related pressures, water scarcity, pest management, inadequate market connections, and constraints in aquaculture operations.
The initiative involves collaboration across multiple government ministries and technical organizations, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment, Health and Science and Technology, alongside bodies such as the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission and the National Innovation Agency. Hatton National Bank's leadership emphasized the bank's commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, noting that young people possess significant potential to create solutions addressing rural livelihoods and food security.
Finalists will showcase their innovations during Sri Lanka's national World Food Day celebrations on October 16, with this year's theme centered on "Innovate Today – Nourish Tomorrow." The top five teams will present before judges and potential investors, with the leading three teams receiving cash awards. Beyond financial recognition, all finalists will gain national visibility and opportunities to engage with government agencies, academic institutions and private sector partners.
