đź“Š Did You Know?
- 1 in 5 children in the United States and 1 in 7 children in Canada are overweight or obese.
- Policies like universal free school meals have been linked to reductions in average BMI scores and childhood obesity prevalence, particularly for minority groups.
- Globally, over two million children lose their lives to acute malnutrition—that’s one child every 15 seconds.
These statistics highlight a growing epidemic, one that urgently calls for innovative solutions in how we think about school nutrition, food systems reform, and their role in advancing progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
In October 2023, we had the privilege of representing NEST4US on the global stage during the World Food Forum (WFF) Flagship Event at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, Italy—a gathering of changemakers from across the world, united under one vision: transforming agrifood systems to be healthier, more sustainable, and more inclusive. It was our first time in Rome, and we couldn’t have imagined a more meaningful reason to be here.
As NEST4US CEO and one of two leaders representing North America as a World Food Forum Youth Policy Board Member, Shreyaa had the honor of speaking at the World Food Forum Flagship Event inaugural mainstage panel “From Policy to Action: Youth Shaping Global Agrifood Systems.”
In her remarks, she reflected on the importance of ensuring that all voices—especially those traditionally excluded—are meaningfully included in shaping food and climate policy, rather than resorting to tokenization of youth voices just to “check a box”.
During the WFF Flagship Event, Shreyaa also loved co-designing and co-hosting the North America Regional Assembly. At this session, she facilitated collaborative dialogue aimed at translating their target policy priority—ensuring inclusive, healthy, and sustainable school feeding programs sourced from local producers and strengthened with food education—into actionable solutions.
From sharing insights gathered through surveys and consultations to engaging in powerful discussions with student leaders, representatives from the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, and food justice advocates, the assembly sparked ideas for aligning local action with systemic policy across North America.
In addition to the regional assembly, Shreyaa also helped co-create the SDG2 Global Thematic Assembly alongside fellow Youth Policy Board members. This session examined the triple burden of malnutrition, inequities in food aid distribution, and the urgent need to accelerate progress toward SDG2 (Zero Hunger) before 2030.
Seeing months of preparation come to life on the WFF stage was nothing short of inspiring—and it reminded us what can happen when ambitious and passionate leaders are provided the opportunity to exchange ideas and co-create solutions together.
As one participant put it: “Policy feels distant until we’re in the room shaping it ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Esha represented the U.S. as a Youth Delegate, diving deep into cross-regional dialogues around food security, equity, and climate resilience.
Together, we not only immersed ourselves in policy conversations and consultations, but also in cultural events such as the inauguration of the Global Library of Trees and Flowers of Rome at FAO Park in Villa Pamphili.
This initiative, launched in collaboration with Roma Capitale, plants over 90 tree species from across the globe, a living reminder of our interconnectedness. We were especially honored to meet the FAO Director-General, Mr. Qu Dongyu, and share the zero hunger efforts we’re leading here at NEST4US.
As we reflect on our time in Rome, one thing is clear: this assembly is only the beginning. Achieving a zero-hunger world is a long road, but it’s a journey we’re committed to walking with communities worldwide. Every person deserves the right to safe, nutritious, and affordable food—without barriers to access, affordability, or stability.
At NEST4US, we’ll continue to champion this vision by mobilizing people from all walks of life to lead the fight against hunger. Because we know that when communities come together, people-powered impact isn’t just possible—it’s unstoppable.
—Shreyaa and Esha Venkat, Founders of NEST4US, October 2023
