National Youth Innovation Challenge to mark World Food Day in Sri Lanka

From left: Assistant FAO Representative – Administration Dihan Hettige, HNB Managing Director/CEO Damith Pallewatte, FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and Maldives Vimlendra Sharan, HNB Senior Vice President/Chief Sustainability Officer Priyanka Wijayaratne, Vice President – Agribusiness Deepal Udukumbura, and Assistant Manager – Sustainable Business Shanel Perera 

 Key initiatives by FAO in partnership with Education Ministry and HNB 

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Ministry and Hatton National Bank (HNB), has launched the World Food Day 2026 Youth Innovation Challenge, a nationwide competition that invites university students to develop innovative solutions to address 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 over 150 countries, it raises awareness of the importance of food security, nutrition and sustainable agrifood systems while promoting collective action to ensure healthy diets for all.

Held under the World Food Day 2026 theme, “Innovate Today – Nourish Tomorrow,” 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.

The challenge is being implemented with the support ofthe Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Ministry; Fisheries,

Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ministry; Environment Ministry; Health and Mass Media Ministry;and Science and Technology Ministry. 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. At the same time, universities across the country possess considerable expertise in research, engineering, digital technology and entrepreneurship that can help address these challenges through innovation.

Prime Minister and Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said: “Our universities are home to talented young people with the creativity, knowledge and determination to solve some of our country’s most pressing challenges. 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 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.

Hatton National Bank PLC Managing Director and CEO Damith Pallewatte said: “At HNB, we believe young people have the potential to transform 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.”

FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimlendra Sharan said: “The future of Sri Lanka’s agrifood systems depends on innovation and on the energy and creativity of young people. 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. Following an initial evaluation, approximately 25 teams will be invited to 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 finalists will present their prototypes during the national World Food Day 2026 celebrations, where 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.