The 2026 edition of the World Food Forum (WFF), hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), concluded on Friday, reinforcing its role as the world's largest annual gathering dedicated to agrifood systems transformation.
Held under the theme "Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow," the WFF took place from 8 to 16 October at FAO's headquarters in Rome, featuring more than 200 sessions, exhibitions and side events. More than 90,000 people from 189 countries participated, with in-person attendance doubling from the previous year, to 32,000. WFF content and messaging reached an estimated 2.4 billion people online.
The flagship event brought together global leaders, policymakers, youth, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, farmers, fishers, investors and innovators around a shared goal: accelerating agrifood systems transformation and progress towards a hunger-free world.
In remarks delivered at the closing ceremony, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said that beyond the attendance numbers, the Forum's true value lay in the connections forged, ideas challenged, partnerships built and actions that will follow.
Qu also addressed the young people participating in the Forum, encouraging them to believe in the possibility of a zero-hunger world.
"Every great transformation in human history began with someone young enough to believe it was possible," Qu said. "So go, lead, innovate, nourish. And know that FAO stands with you," he added.
Week of events
WFF 2026 opened on 8 October with the second edition of FAO's "From Seeds to Foods" exhibition at Rome's historic Circo Massimo, once the setting for ancient Roman chariot races.
Held under the theme "Fostering Innovation for Food Security and Nutrition," the five-day exhibition showcased 400 agricultural products, technologies and innovations, ranging from pioneering farming solutions to breakthroughs in nutrition and sustainability.
The opening ceremony featured Francesco Lollobrigida, Italy's Minister for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Saeb Khraisat, Minister of Agriculture of Jordan; and Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome.
During the "From Seeds to Foods" exhibition, the FAO Food and Agriculture Museum and Network (MuNe) also extended its presence beyond FAO headquarters to the nearby Circo Massimo.
Organized around three pillars - the Global Youth Action Initiative, the Science and Innovation Forum, and the Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum - the WFF featured high-level dialogues, consultations, innovation laboratories, pitch events, matchmaking sessions, exhibitions and cultural programmes highlighting efforts to build a more sustainable food future.
The opening ceremony of the WFF featured keynote addresses, delivered in person or via video message, by several Heads of State and Government, including King Letsie III of Lesotho; João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola; Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, President of the Dominican Republic; Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi, President of Peru; Delcy Eloína Rodriguez Gómez, Acting President of Venezuela; Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of Cuba; Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Türkiye; Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy; and Micheál Martin, Prime Minister of Ireland.
The Global Youth Forum attracted more than 2,100 young people from 171 countries. During the event, the FAO Office of Youth and Women presented results from National Youth Chapters and other youth-led initiatives underway worldwide. The Forum also marked the launch of 33 new National Youth Chapters, bringing the total to more than 100 and extending the reach of the global movement to more communities around the world.
The Science and Innovation Forum (SIF) brought together high-level plenaries and interactive technical sessions, with participants examining a wide range of topics, including science communication, AI governance, biotechnology, climate adaptation, One Health and innovative financing approaches.
During SIF, the Director-General urged participants to confront a hard truth: innovation has limited impact if it remains confined to laboratories or beyond the financial reach of smallholder farmers.
"Science must reach the farmer in her own language and on her own device, and it must be backed by resources," Qu said on Friday.
The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum saw 38 countries and five regional initiatives present a record $20.16 billion in proposed agrifood investments. Government representatives, private companies, development banks and foundations explored financing arrangements, addressed investment risks and forged partnerships to advance country-led investment opportunities.
"We know that good ideas need funding; and we must continue to bridge the gap between scientific breakthroughs and implementation at scale," the Director-General said.
This year's edition of the WFF also featured the fourth annual meeting of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples' Food and Knowledge Systems. Hosted in two Sámi nomadic tents on the grounds of FAO's headquarters, the Global-Hub meeting brought together Indigenous Peoples' knowledge holders, leaders, experts and researchers to exchange experiences, co-create knowledge and strengthen the contribution of Indigenous Peoples' knowledge and science to addressing global challenges.
The Rome Water Dialogue 2026 explored ways to strengthen water and food security as weather extremes, including El Niño, place increasing pressure on scarce water resources and intensify competition among agriculture, communities, industry and ecosystems.
The WFF ended on Friday with World Food Day, featuring a special message from Pope Leo XIV, and celebrations with music from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Zambia, alongside traditional dance performances from Georgia.
