The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals include eradicating hunger in the world by 2030, as formulated in SDG goal number 2 (Zero Hunger). To achieve this goal, education is of crucial importance.

Therefore the 5 agri-food universities, who call themselves A5, agreed to cooperate in developing new educational and research programs to come to the necessary transformation of food systems. They want to empower students and educate the new leaders of tomorrow. The universities also want to stimulate the exchange of students and staff members to increase their knowledge.

Next Generation

The next generation is instrumental in the decision by the 5 agri-food universities to work together. The universities want to give young people more say in how to organise their future. This was already an integral part of the SDG Conference in Wageningen. Simultaneous to the main conference students organised their own e-conference, a ‘foodathon’, in which more than one hundred students in all continents discussed food issues during 36 hours. They provided a digital platform through which youth worldwide could interact, exchange knowledge and create solutions to challenges related to Zero Hunger.

The outcome of their discussions have been presented at a solutions market of the SDG conference, where numerous organisations have agreed to act as kickstarter to end hunger, among others by providing knowledge, experience and their network to the next generation. As Wageningen Rector Magnificus, Arthur Mol expressed, ‘The youth presented the most valuable part of the conference’.