Highlight stories of impact
Bring forward stories that show how learning with the FAO elearning Academy leads to tangible change in people’s lives and communities.
FAO elearning Academy
Global Youth Contest:
From learning to impact
A global call for young learners and professionals to share how the FAO elearning Academy supports studies, careers and practice. Four winners have been selected and awarded a fully funded trip to Rome to attend the World Food Forum 2026.
4 winners
Fully funded trip to Rome
18-35
Eligible age range
12-15 Oct 2026
World Food Forum dates in Rome, Italy
01 · About the contest
Overview
The Global Youth Contest invites you to share how learning with the FAO elearning Academy has shaped your journey and enabled you to turn knowledge into action, whether by acquiring new skills, advancing your studies, career, or creating positive change in your community.
Take part by submitting a short written story on how the FAO elearning Academy has transformed your journey and how you have applied your learning in practice. Support your story with verified course completion and certified digital badges obtained from the FAO elearning Academy.
To celebrate and amplify young voices, four selected winners will receive a fully funded trip to Rome to attend the World Food Forum (12–15 October 2026), and will be invited to share their stories in a video interview featured on the FAO elearning Academy homepage and across its social media channels.
More than a contest, this is your opportunity to raise your voice, inspire other young learners from around the world, and join a global movement striving towards better agrifood systems for all!
02 · Objectives
Purpose of the contest
The contest aims to spotlight authentic and inspiring learning journeys that lead to impact, by amplifying young learners’ voices in the global agrifood dialogue.
From learning to action
Share how you apply what you’ve learned in real-life contexts, from personal growth to community or system-level change.
Learn from each other
Inspire peers by sharing experiences and lessons with young people from around the world.
Go global
Increase the visibility of youth voices and expand awareness of FAO elearning Academy opportunities.
Be an agent of change
Show how young learners are helping drive more sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems.
03 · Eligibility criteria
Who can apply
To apply, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be aged 18–35 years.
- Be from any country or region, including underrepresented or vulnerable groups.
- Be a registered learner of the FAO elearning Academy.
- Demonstrate how learning has contributed to your knowledge and skills, or academic or professional development.
- Have completed FAO elearning Academy courses and obtained certified digital badges.
Note: The selected winners must hold a passport valid until at least April 2027.
04 · Prize
Recognition and opportunities
To celebrate and amplify learning journeys that lead to impact, four winners demonstrating the strongest learning-driven impact will be selected.
Fully Funded Trip to Rome
All four winners will receive a fully funded trip to Rome to attend the World Food Forum (WFF) from 12 to 15 October 2026, with all travel and participation costs covered.
Video Interview and Global Visibility
The selected winners will be invited to share their stories in a video interview featured on the FAO elearning Academy website, the YouTube FAO Education Hub, and across social media channels.
05 · Evaluation criteria
Selection criteria
Your application will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- 1Availability to participate in the global award process, including travel requirements.
- 2Number of certified digital badges obtained.
- 3Quality and clarity of your impact story, including clear evidence of how learning was applied.
- 4Verified completion of FAO elearning Academy courses.
- 5Your application as young learner belonging to underrepresented, vulnerable or marginalized group will be positively considered, in line with FAO’s commitment to inclusive participation and leaving no one behind.
Important: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to generate responses is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate exclusion from the contest.
06 · Winners
Meet the winners
Norah Kimathi
Kenya
From personal legacy to climate innovation
Through FAO eLearning Academy forestry courses, Norah acquired the knowledge and skills to transform her grandfather's passion for trees into action for forests and future generations.
Rogers Semuwemba
Uganda
From learner to community innovator
The competencies Rogers acquired through FAO eLearning Academy reshaped how he approaches agriculture: learning with farmers, rather than simply teaching them.
Abdallah Amr
Egypt
Learning that multiplies
For Abdallah, learning through the IPPC Plant Health Campus, hosted on the FAO eLearning Academy, strengthened his expertise in plant health.
Mukuka Kabanshi
Zambia
From learning to leadership
The FAO eLearning Academy's forestry courses empowered Mukuka to transform her path from student to changemaker.
Before submitting your application
- Create an account on the FAO elearning Academy platform.
- Explore available learning areas and complete courses of interest.
- Earn certified digital badges.
- Start preparing your short impact story (maximum 4 000 characters), reflecting how learning has shaped your knowledge, skills, and professional or academic path.
How to fill in the application form
- Complete the online application form.
- Use the same email address as your FAO elearning Academy account (required for badge verification).
- Provide a complete and accurate list of your earned badges.
- Include your impact story (maximum 4 000 characters).
- Submit your application by 31 July.
After submitting your application
- Applications will be reviewed by the FAO elearning Academy Evaluation Committee.
- Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.
- Finalists will be selected and informed individually.
- All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application.
Ready to submit?
Are you ready to share your learning journey with the world and become one of the inspiring young leaders advancing sustainable agrifood systems?
Application formNot yet enrolled? Create new FAO Academy account
Share the contest:
Important: The application link will only be active until 31 July 2026 (23.59 CEST). Only one application per participant is allowed. You are strongly encouraged to complete as many relevant courses and earn as many badges as possible before submitting your application.
07 · Support
Frequently asked questions
The contest is conducted exclusively in English, and only stories written in English will be considered.
For further information, please contact youth-contest@fao.org.
If your application is not selected, your submission will still contribute to FAO’s global youth and education work. Insights from impact stories help inform FAO on the real impact of learning, highlighting how education supports sustainable agrifood systems and advances Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).
For questions related to FAO elearning Academy courses, please consult the FAO elearning Academy Help and Support page.
08 · Legal
Terms and conditions
- All participants must be between 18 and 35 years old (inclusive).
- By submitting an application, participants confirm that they have read, understood and accepted the terms and conditions, including those outlined in the FAO Data Protection and Privacy Notice. For additional information on how FAO processes personal data, please contact FAO-Data-Privacy@fao.org.
- If selected as a winner, participants confirm their consent to participate in a video interview and to the recording and use of their image, voice and/or video. This includes the publication and distribution of such content across FAO platforms (including the FAO elearning Academy homepage and social media channels), worldwide and without time limitation, for the promotion of FAO activities.
- The FAO elearning Academy reserves the right to request supporting evidence, clarification interviews, or additional verification measures to assess the authenticity and originality of submitted applications and digital badges. Any false declaration or unverifiable information may lead to disqualification.
- FAO is committed to processing personal data fairly, transparently, and securely, in accordance with its internal data protection rules and policies. Personal data collected through the application form will be used exclusively for the organization, management and communication of this contest.
- FAO reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to select the winners based on the established evaluation criteria. All decisions of the FAO Evaluation Committee are final and not subject to appeal.
- Participants confirm that they are the copyright holders of the content and stories submitted.
- Submissions must not include endorsements of products or services, or any content that is obscene, violent, discriminatory, racist or defamatory.
- The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to generate responses is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate exclusion from the contest.