The School of Young Leaders for Food Systems and Regeneration has reached a new milestone with the completion of its first InnoLab, a collaborative innovation space that brought together 50 young leaders from various regions of Antioquia, Colombia, committed to transforming food systems into more sustainable and regenerative models. The event, held from October 4 to 6 at Zafra Natural Reserve, aimed to foster the development of innovative prototypes around food system challenges that were previously identified by the participants, while strengthening collaborative networks and knowledge sharing.
Over three intensive days, the young leaders validated ideas, refined prototypes, and received feedback from peers and mentors. They worked in teams with a nature-based innovation approach, designing projects to address territorial challenges. The activities also focused on enhancing leadership and collective entrepreneurship skills.
The choice of Zafra Natural Reserve as the epicenter was significant, as this location has been transformed from degraded land due to extensive cattle ranching to an ecological restoration and regenerative tourism reference in Colombia. It provided an inspiring setting for creating solutions benefiting people, the planet, and shared prosperity.
The InnoLab marked the culmination of a two-month virtual course, where participants delved into key topics such as food system challenges and opportunities at global, national, and local levels, regenerative production systems, sustainable landscapes, conscious leadership, nature-based solutions, and regenerative entrepreneurship. Besides educational sessions, the youth developed an integrative project, starting with analyzing territorial food system issues and concluding with the creation of tangible, scalable regenerative proposals brought to the in-person lab.
In the coming months, these young leaders will continue developing their prototypes and creating impact within this emerging practice community. With specialized mentorship, financial support, and a focus on strategic communication, the school will keep empowering them to turn ideas into action.
This project is part of a major initiative by the Food and Land Use Coalition-FOLU in Colombia, which, through its national and territorial roadmaps, has identified youth leadership as a key pillar for transforming food systems. The first cohort of the school has been developed with support from the Government of Antioquia, Swisscontact through the Sustainable Landscapes project, Comfama, Universidad EAFIT, Fundación Mi Sangre, and Biosuroeste.
![]() Game time to promote interaction and camaraderie among participants. | ![]() Group photo next to the altar created, filled with meaningful objects that each participant offered as a symbol of their identity. |
![]() Teams collaborating on the creation of their “problem and solution trees”. | ![]() Participants connecting with natural elements through a guided meditation, seeking introspection and personal balance. |
![]() Dance performance during the talent night, a space for participants to showcase their artistic skills. | ![]() Group photo at Tacuara, one of the regenerative ventures visited to explore inspiring examples of nature-based solutions. |
![]() Final outcome of the “Esparcir” project: a “regenerative kit” designed to connect rural and urban areas by providing urban households with “living soil,” seeds, and native products. | ![]() Presentation of the pitch for the “WiFood” project, a proposed platform to connect all participants involved in the production, transformation, and commercialization of food. |