Shaping Tomorrow’s Food Systems: GenZ steps up for a sustainable Indonesia

When 15 young Indonesians from across the archipelago arrived in Bandung, they carried more than just ideas. They brought ambition, curiosity, and a shared drive to make a difference.

GenZ for Sustainable Food Systems (GSFS) became a space where these young changemakers took their first real steps toward building more sustainable food future.

Background & context

When 15 young Indonesians from across the archipelago arrived in Bandung for a five day bootcamp, many of them had only encountered “food systems” in lectures or social media threads. By the end of the week, they were mapping value chains, debating regenerative agriculture, and pitching ideas to reduce food loss and waste in their own communities. For them, GenZ for Sustainable Food Systems (GSFS) was more than a competition – it was a doorway into real world action.  

Why the youth is central to food systems

Indonesia’s food system is under pressure from climate change, land degradation and unequal access to nutritious food. At the same time, meaningful youth participation in food system decision making and practice remains limited but this generation holds enormous potential: they bring new ideas, digital fluency and a strong sense of climate justice.  

Recognising this, Koalisi Sistem Pangan Lestari (KSPL) – FOLU Indonesia – launched GSFS in 2022 to invest in youth capacity, leadership and pathways into concrete action. Since then, GSFS has offered internships with KSPL partners and created spaces where young people can engage directly with practitioners working on food loss and waste, local food, and regenerative agriculture.  

How GSFS Works: From bootcamp to action 

In the 2025 cohort, KSPL began by running a five day intensive bootcamp in Bandung, a city one hour train-ride away from Jakarta. Fifteen selected youths from across the country came together with a diverse group of partners and practitioners. The programme combined:  

• material presentations on food systems, climate and regenerative agriculture 
• collaborative discussions and workshops on systems thinking and justice
• On the ground visits with sustainable agriculture businesses and local initiatives 

KSPL convened experts from partners such as WRI Indonesia, GAIN, IBCSD, Yayasan KEHATI, FAO, BIOPS, Seni Tani, Pamflet and Project Multatuli, offering participants both global perspectives and Indonesian case studies.  

Understanding that ideas only travel when they are communicated well, KSPL also worked with media and journalists to equip participants with storytelling and writing skills. Sessions on narrative framing, interviewing and digital content creation helped participants translate complex food system issues into compelling stories for their own audiences.  

Following the bootcamp, three outstanding participants were selected for internships with KSPL partners: IBCSD, GAIN and Yayasan KEHATI. In these placements, youth worked on concrete tasks – from supporting food loss and waste training initiatives to documenting local food resources and best practices – turning their new knowledge into action.   

What comes next?

The 2025 cycle spanned from August to December – essay submission and finalist selection in August, the bootcamp in September, and internships from October to December – but its impact extends well beyond the calendar.  

By linking learning, partnerships and real implementation, GSFS is turning young Indonesians from observers of food system challenges into active contributors to Indonesia’s food system transformation. 

GSFS directly advances FOLU’s mission by:

• investing in youth leadership and civic engagement.
• deepening understanding of regenerative approaches through exposure to real projects and practitioners.
• strengthening youth skills in digital storytelling and communication to influence public and policy debates.