Deadline: 20-Jun-22

The World Food Forum (WFF) Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) is now open to inspire research and innovation in sustainable development to end hunger and transform the agrifood systems.

Teams of young and young-at-heart researchers are invited to submit a two-page concept note proposing an innovative research idea to help end hunger and transform their agrifood systems focusing on one of “four betters” as well as on the WFF’s theme of the year: “Healthy Diets. Healthy Planet.”

Shortlisted participants will receive expert mentorship to help translate their concepts into sound research papers and present them at the WFF global stage in October 2022.

Benefits

Shortlisted innovators will be invited to present a lightning talk at the flagship WFF virtual event taking place in October 2022, as well as benefit from the following:

• Mentoring: Ten to fifteen shortlisted teams will receive personalized mentorship from globally recognized experts in their field to help “translate” their concept note into a concrete research output (e.g. a research proposal for grant funding or research article for publication).
• Coaching: Each team will be coached in the preparation of the lightning talk for the final presentations.
• Networking:  Participants will have access to a global audience of young leaders and organizations from the public and private sectors, including the United Nations.
• Visibility: The WFF will provide a platform for global youth to showcase innovative research ideas and approaches to a global audience. Shortlisted teams will be profiled on the WFF website, and have the chance to pitch their research project to a global audience and international expert panel on the WFF Flagship Event stage.
• Ongoing promotion: Shortlisted teams and the winner of the TRC may be included in additional learning and exposure activities associated with the WFF, such as a social media campaigns, case studies, and future events to foster ongoing visibility and encourage future development.

Outputs

Output examples include:

• a research article for publication;
• a research project proposal for grant funding;
• a paper or presentation at a scientific conference;
• a plan for further development, partnership or scaling to transform a research innovation into a tangible solution.
• During the pitches, a panel of expert judges will select the top three teams and present a special award to the team that best aligns with the WFF theme of the year.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Competition is open to individuals or  teams of up to 5 individuals (“Entrants”), as long as at least one of the entrants has reached the age of 18 and is not older than 35 at the time of submission of their Concept Note. All individuals under the age of 18 must be represented by their parent or legal guardian to submit a Concept Note.
• WFF and FAO employees and their immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, siblings and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) or persons living in the same households of such employees, whether or not related, are not eligible to enter the Competition. WFF will determine eligibility at its sole discretion. Partners or relatives of partner staff of the institutions involved in the launch of the Competition, and relations of the judging committee are not eligible to compete.
• Entrants can only submit original works for which they are the sole creators and copyright holders. In case of a group of authors, the names and ages of all authors must be listed and will be considered as a single Entrant in the copyright rules.

For more information, visit http://www.world-food-forum.org/innovation-lab/transformative-research-challenge/en/