Countries and regional initiatives presented $20.16 billion in proposed agrifood investments at the 2026 World Food Forum’s Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, according to FAO Newsroom. The wider gathering, held from 8 to 16 October in Rome, concluded with calls to turn scientific advances and international partnerships into practical progress towards ending hunger.
FAO Newsroom described the investment proposals as a record, with 38 countries and five regional initiatives taking part. Government officials, businesses, development banks and foundations discussed financing structures and investment risks while developing partnerships around country-led opportunities. The sum represented proposed investments, rather than an announcement of secured funding. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu stressed the need to finance promising ideas and connect research with implementation at scale.
Across the wider forum, more than 90,000 people from 189 countries participated in over 200 sessions, exhibitions and accompanying events, the outlet reported. In-person attendance reached 32,000, twice the previous year’s level, while FAO estimated that online content and messaging reached 2.4 billion people. Participants included policymakers, scientists, farmers, fishers, investors, young people and Indigenous Peoples.
Access to innovation was a central concern at the Science and Innovation Forum, where discussions covered biotechnology, artificial intelligence governance, climate adaptation and financing. Qu cautioned that scientific developments would have little effect if they stayed in laboratories or remained unaffordable for smallholders. He called for knowledge to reach farmers through accessible languages and devices, supported by adequate resources.
Youth participation also expanded. More than 2,100 young people from 171 countries attended the Global Youth Forum, and 33 National Youth Chapters were launched, taking the network beyond 100 chapters. Separately, the Rome Water Dialogue examined how to protect water and food security as extreme weather, including El Niño, increases pressure on limited supplies and competition between users. At the closing ceremony, Qu emphasised the relationships, partnerships and subsequent action generated by the gathering, rather than attendance figures alone.