Adolescents in South Asian agrifood systems: Roles and aspirations

Adolescents play multiple roles in agrifood systems, from production to sale, acquisition, preparation, and consumption of food. • Though surveys increasingly include adolescents, data gaps exist on their diets, food choice behaviors, and aspirations for the future, all of which have implications for agrifood systems. • Fewer than 1 in 10 adolescents wish to engage in farming in the future, according to findings of a 2023 survey of 4,000 adolescents in rural Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. • The same survey found that adolescent males and females participated equally in agricultural tasks, but that food and domestic tasks were primarily done by adolescent females. • Recent data show that adolescents have access to and frequently consume unhealthy foods, and are largely missed by school meal programs, which typically only cover children. • The Eat Well, Live Well social media campaign and follow-on activities in Bangladesh offer an example of innovative approaches to encourage adolescents to make better food choices.