By: Staff Writer
November 7, 2025
The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) said in a new report that exposure to digital media increases the consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) youth.
The report, The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems, said: “While evidence is limited, exposure to digital media appears to increase the consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
“Youth are particularly vulnerable to tailored marketing of energy dense, nutrient-poor foods, and many struggle to translate healthy eating intentions into action.
“In response, policies are emerging in some contexts to limit food advertisements targeting youth to reduce the negative impact of media on nutritional behaviours.”
In Latin America and the Caribbean, 39 percent of young people work in agrifood systems, either directly in production or in activities linked to the food value chain, with figures ranging from 36 percent in South America to 42 percent in Central America. These findings are part of the new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems, which examines the participation, challenges, and opportunities of the world’s more than 1.3 billion young people.
The study underscores that youth are essential actors in ensuring food security, environmental sustainability, and innovation within agrifood systems. However, they face structural barriers. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 51 percent of young men and 75 percent of young women have vulnerable jobs in agriculture.
The report also shows that youth, especially young women, are more likely to be in precarious, low-skilled, and poorly paid jobs. Rural young women are less likely than rural young men to study, work, or receive training and are less likely to work full-time, mainly due to their greater caregiving responsibilities. The report notes that closing this gap could have a significant economic impact: increasing global GDP by 1.4 percent, equivalent to USD 1.5 trillion.
It further warns that the effects of economic recessions and climate stressors have significantly different impacts on youth employment in agrifood systems, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen resilience, access to digital technologies, and adaptive capacity among young people.
During the launch of the global report in Latin America and the Caribbean, Benjamín Davis, Director of FAO’s Division of Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality, highlighted that the report “not only offers a comprehensive view of the situation of young women and men but also reflects how and under what conditions youth can act as catalysts for transforming agrifood systems.”
The launch brought together government representatives, youth organizations, and strategic partners to discuss the report’s implications for the region and to promote youth inclusion in the transformation of agrifood systems toward more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient models.