Youth participation is increasingly recognised as essential for transforming food systems, yet many young people remain underrepresented in formal decision-making, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Bangladesh, recent policy momentum and growing youth mobilisation have created new spaces for engagement, yet how these developments translate into meaningful influence over planning and policy processes in practice remains unclear.
This qualitative case study explored how youth engage in Bangladesh's food system policy development through 27 semi-structured interviews with youth leaders and policymakers. Youth participants were purposively selected from GAIN's Food System Youth Leadership initiative while policymakers were selected based on their roles in nutrition, food systems policy, and youth development. Data were analysed thematically using hybrid deductiveinductive approach.
Young people are increasingly recognised as important contributors to food system transformation: raising awareness, leading community initiatives and bringing new perspectives to food system challenges. However, opportunities for them to move beyond these roles and engage in decision-making processes remain limited. In Bangladesh, the Food Systems Youth Leadership Initiative was introduced to strengthen youth leadership in food system transformation and deepen young people's understanding of food systems. This initiative also encouraged community-driven actions through collective action campaigns, helping young people build the confidence and capacity needed to engage more effectively in policy and decision-making spaces.
From Policy to Plate: How Malawi is transforming Food Systems
EP 32
The Nutrition Futures Initiative (NFI) seeks to strengthen the nutritional impact of social…
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Join GAIN and partners for a virtual webinar exploring how consumer demand, private-sector strategies and enabling policies can support healthier diets across Africa. The session will bring together evidence, practical experience and policy insights ahead of the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 Nutrition and Health Platform.
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