WTO Hackathon Highlights Youth Ideas On Food Trade

While symbolic, the WTO’s youth hackathon reflects growing calls for creative approaches to food trade and security, with potential implications for reducing losses, expanding biofuel markets, and stabilizing grain flows.

hachaton16925_lg.jpg

WTO hackathon showcases youth proposals on trade and food security. (2025)

World Trade Organization

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (RFD-TV)— The World Trade Organization (WTO) spotlighted student-driven solutions to global food insecurity during its recent hackathon, drawing entries from more than ten countries.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala opened the event by stressing that “trade and food security are inseparable,” calling the competition a sign of what young people expect from the organization.

The top prize went to Global Grains, a team from the European University Institute and Graduate Institute in Geneva, for proposing a “Harvest-to-Market Facilitation Pathway” to reduce post-harvest losses in Africa through better storage and trade channels.

Singapore’s Spice Pacific team earned second place with a plan to convert food lost in trade into sustainable biofuels, while China’s Agro-Strategos took third for recommendations to strengthen WTO rules during food trade disruptions.

WTO ambassadors from five nations served as jury members, underscoring the global scope of the contest. CropLife International provided the monetary awards.

Related Stories
Citi Bank is sounding the alarm about a convincing new banking scam leaving customers confused and cashless.
RanchHER Jessie Jarvis is a third-generation Idaho cattle rancher and an esteemed figure in the ag industry and Western world. She seamlessly balances her roles as a business owner, influencer, podcast host, public speaker, rancher, wife and mother.
Key legal & tax insights for farmers, like accumulated earnings tax, using 401(k) to start farming, ag data in court, and maximizing farm home-sale exclusions when selling your farm.
Let’s meet Maggie McDonald of the Magnolia FFA Chapter in Arkansas, one of the National FFA Organization’s American Star Award finalists with a placement in Agribusiness.
Let’s meet Rylee Smith from the Oolaga FFA chapter in Oklahoma, one of this year’s Star finalists in agriscience placement.
Let’s meet Wylie Schwebach from the Moriarty FFA chapter in New Mexico, one of this year’s Star finalists in agricultural placement.
National FFA Secretary Grant Northfleet shares his motivation behind a year of service, highlighting the organization’s role in providing students with real success through hard work.