FAO, Ministry of Education and HNB Empower Young Innovators to Build More Resilient Agrifood Systems in Sri Lanka

Team GreenMayo has won Sri Lanka’s World Food Day Youth Innovation Challenge with OKRANAISE, a plant-based mayonnaise, following a competition involving students from state and non-state higher education institutions.

The challenge was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and Hatton National Bank.

Organisers reported more than 200 registrations and over 100 submissions from 51 universities and higher education institutions. Twelve teams were selected through several evaluation stages to develop their ideas into prototypes with expert guidance and mentoring.

The finalists presented their solutions to evaluators and displayed their innovations during the World Food Day 2026 celebration.

Under the theme “Innovate Today – Nourish Tomorrow”, the competition sought responses to challenges affecting agriculture, fisheries, nutrition, food systems and climate resilience.

The ten leading solutions will continue to receive mentoring after the competition, according to FAO. The support is intended to help teams improve prototypes and prepare for market entry.

Organisers also plan to connect participants with investors, businesses, technical specialists and other partners who could assist with practical application and commercial development.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said young people needed opportunities to test ideas and work with partners as the country responded to challenges affecting food and agriculture.

FAO representative Vimlendra Sharan said the initiative demonstrated how students were applying science, technology and entrepreneurship to food-system problems.

HNB managing director and chief executive Damith Pallewatte said private-sector involvement could help promising concepts develop into viable solutions.

The challenge forms part of Sri Lanka’s World Food Day programme and links students with government, academia and industry.

World Food Day is observed on 16 October, the anniversary of FAO’s founding in 1945. This year’s local competition placed student prototypes and their further development at the centre of the programme.