The Global Youth Forum on Climate Change in collaboration with SLYCAN Trust Youth hosted a virtual event focusing on youth in climate-resilient food systems. One of the key objectives of the event was to empower youth by equipping them with knowledge, abilities, and a platform to actively contribute to food systems that are both sustainable and adaptable.

Distinguished speakers led discussions on climate policy development, risk management, and adaptation within food systems.

This dialogue is a part of a series of global thematic dialogues on different thematic areas scheduled to take place virtually, over the course of four months spanning from August to November 2023, with each month dedicated to a specific thematic topic. To ensure inclusivity on a global scale, these dialogues will be organized in two distinct time slots.

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On the 12th of August, SLYCAN Trust Executive Director, Vositha Wijenayake, participated in the interactive dialogue, titled 'Growing Green Talents' at the Youth Co: Lab National Youth Dialogue, marking International Youth Day 2023.

This event was jointly hosted by the National Youth Services Council of Sri Lanka (NYSC) and UNDP, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, activists, advocates, academics, and development partners, all united in championing their respective causes.

Beyond addressing key challenges and solutions, the dialogue provided a platform for speakers to articulate their

specific requests to other stakeholders, engage in meaningful discussions, and highlight their own contributions and synergies.

The event also featured an extended Q&A session, allowing an audience of over 200 primarily young individuals to interact substantively with the speakers. 

In a similar vein, Kavindu Ediriweera, Director of Youth Programmes at SLYCAN Trust Youth, took part in 'Youth Emerge,' an initiative aimed at catalyzing a new generation of changemakers. This event, organized by the University of Colombo, UNFPA, and Youth Emerge, featured him as a panelist discussing youth leadership.

Credits: UNDP Sri Lanka

We made a video to create awareness, motivate and connect with like-minded youth on International Youth Day. Enjoy watching!

On 22nd August, SLYCAN Trust hosted a dialogue on food systems and entrepreneurship with participation of over 40 climate-friendly food businesses under our entrepreneurial and innovation support initiative, EthicalX: Climate & Innovation Hub.

The event was held with the aim to support entrepreneurial practices focused on ethical, sustainable, and climate-friendly entrepreneurship in food systems and plant-based food production. The event also aimed to facilitate building partnerships that will lead to building long-term climate resilience, sustainable development, and climate-friendly inclusive and participatory economic empowerment.

Randima Balasooriya, plant-based food entrepreneur

"Customer demand, along with contributing to planetary health, are key factors for engaging in plant-based entrepreneurship," said Dinali Dandeniya, plant-based food entrepreneur.

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Pictures from the event

Dinali Dandeniya, plant-based food entrepreneur

Risk Management & Loss and Damage

Field visit to high- and medium- risk areas and relocation sites

As part of our ongoing initiative to develop a comprehensive case study on landslide risk, human mobility, and climate-induced losses and damages in Sri Lanka, teams from SLYCAN Trust and the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) recently undertook a field visit. During this visit, we conducted interviews with households residing in areas categorized as medium-risk, high-risk, and relocation zones, and also met with local authorities.

The study aims to investigate the relationship between human mobility and natural hazards, particularly, landslides in Sri Lanka. It will focus on planned relocation and resettlement strategies in high-risk regions.

The findings from this case study are expected to be published before the UNFCCC COP28 conference in November in Dubai, UAE. 

We are pleased that women entrepreneurs had a high representation at the dialogue on food systems and entrepreneurship held on 22nd August in Colombo. They expressed a keen interest in becoming part of our EthicalX: Climate & Innovation Hub cohort, thereby enhancing the gender diversity within our food systems initiatives. 

Similarly, the active participation of young women in the Global Thematic Dialogue: “Youth in Climate-Resilient Food Systems" highlighted the crucial perspectives and contributions of young women in the field.

During our recent data collection field visit, we had the privilege of meeting with women and youth who have been directly affected by landslides, gaining valuable insights into their experiences and challenges. We also engaged with women and youth who reside in areas at risk of landslides, further deepening our understanding of the potential vulnerabilities they face in these landslide-prone zones.

In ensuring ethical, sustainable, and climate-friendly food systems, it is crucial to engage various stakeholders across sectors, foster the exchange of knowledge, and harmonize efforts to effectively manage risks and enhance resilience.

With this aim, SLYCAN Trust is organizing a research dialogue on innovative and climate-friendly food systems on 1st November, 2023.

The Global Research Dialogue will welcome enthusiastic academics, scholars, independent researchers, industry professionals and students who are interested in the fields of climate-friendly, sustainable, and plant-based food systems to share the latest findings on the dialogue themes below:

1. Climate-smart plant-based agriculture

2. Plant-based entrepreneurship in food systems

3. Plant-based food choices & benefits of sustainable lifestyles

4. Partnerships for just transition in plant-based food systems

5. Climate risk management in food systems

6. Youth engagement in climate-friendly food systems

If you are working on these topics and interested to take part in this dialogue, please submit your abstracts by 1st of October, 2023.