• The four Australian delegates are among 100 leaders, representing over 40 countries, who will meet in November 2021 
• From station hands to PhD candidates, Australia’s delegates are set to learn from the best in the business at the 2-day virtual forum
• Delegates will also work with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Babele on a 10-week Youth Ag Summit (YAS) University program following the forum with mentoring from industry leaders, farmers, and YAS alumni
   

Australia, 2 September 2021 – Bayer has selected four Australian youth leaders among 100 delegates, representing more than 40 different countries, to make up the 2021 Youth Ag Summit cohort this November. The global forum and biennial conference provides young leaders between the ages of 18 and 25, with a passion for sustainable agriculture, the opportunity to learn and collaborate with others on solutions to issues challenging food security across the globe. 

This year’s delegates were selected from 2,000 applicants representing nearly 100 countries.

“If we can educate society to responsibly consume their food to create zero waste, work with our farmers to produce in more a sustainable way and nurture the land that nurtures us, we will be able to continue to feed the world,” said livestock leader and station hand Meg Kennett from Walcha, NSW. “My motivation to join the Youth Ag Summit was to a part of this mission. I am excited to be able to collaborate and put into action ideas that are focused on building resilient food systems and a sustainable world.”

To be selected, this year’s delegates presented project ideas and examples of previous advocacy work based on the Summit’s overall theme “Feeding a Hungry Planet”. Lucy Noble, a market reporting analyst from Sydney, for example, told of her desire to bridge the knowledge gap that most people in industrialised nations have between food production and consumption. She hopes her involvement will lead to improved food utilisation and agricultural literacy. 
 

“My interest in international food security is born out of grassroots engagement and an aspiration to contribute to the future and resilience of our planet’s land and water resources. I see the Youth Ag Summit as an opportunity to work with likeminded people who have an in-depth and diverse understanding of sustainable agriculture, learning from others who seek to serve the future of our planet.”

Joining Kennett and Noble at the 2021 Summit will be PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, Cara Jeffrey, and PhD candidate at La Trobe University, Dylan Male.

Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division, says the Youth Ag Summit has always been a great opportunity to connect with the next generation of agriculture. 

“These young people provide the passion needed to make a real difference in tackling food security challenges. By supporting and nurturing these future leaders, we aid them in what we hope is a lifelong journey of learning and action for a more sustainable food system,” Condon said.  

This year’s 5th biennial Youth Ag Summit will be the company’s first virtual YAS event and its first with a virtual idea incubator called YAS University. Within the YAS University program, delegates will continue to develop their business and communications skills, receive coaching from mentors, and complete weekly assignments that help them hone their own project concepts for 10 weeks following the summit, beginning in January 2022. At the end of YAS University, the delegates will have the opportunity to pitch their project ideas to a panel of experts to compete for prizes. Bayer’s partnerships for this year’s forum with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the tech company Babele make the unique experience of YAS University possible. 
 

For more on the Youth Ag Summit 2021 and see a full list of selected delegates, please visit www.youthagsummit.com and follow #AgvocatesWithoutBorders on Twitter and @youthagsummit on Instagram.

About the Youth Ag Summit
The Youth Ag Summit movement is a community of global young leaders championing sustainable agriculture and food security and working to bridge the understanding gap between those who produce our food and those who consume it. Every two years, 100 delegates are chosen to take part in the summit. Previous editions have been hosted in Canada, Australia, Belgium and Brazil. Due to COVID restrictions, this year’s summit is the first completely virtual event.
 

About the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was set up in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. For more information, visit www.unsdsn.org. 
 

About Bayer 
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care, nutrition and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. The company has operated in Australia since 1925 and has a long term commitment to the health and nutrition of all Australians. Locally, Bayer currently employs almost 900 people across the country and is dedicated to servicing the needs of rural and remote communities. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. For more information, go to crop.bayer.com.au.

 

Contact:
Lachlan Bird, phone +61 407 885 209
Email: lachlan.bird@bayer.com


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