Deadline: January 30, 2015
Applications are now invited for the Youth Ag-Summit taking place from August 24-28, 2015 in Canberra, Australia. What’s your vision on how to feed a growing world population? The Global Youth Ag-Summit will bring together young leaders from around the world to discuss ideas, develop a vision and deliver action. This will be a unique opportunity for young leaders from around the world to hear from global opinion leaders, create a vision and deliver actions to “Feed a Hungry Planet”.
About the Youth Ag-Summit
Under the theme “Feeding a Hungry Planet” young adults are invited to submit an essay outlining their understanding of and possible solutions for the agricultural, social and environmental challenges facing our planet. The ability to demonstrate original ideas and passion will be the key selection criteria for the Youth Ag-Summit.
If you’re 18-25 and care about our planet’s future, you should be part of this. Send in your thoughts and they might send you to Canberra, Australia to share them with 100 other bright young minds and leaders.
Young people aged 18-25* who are personally, professionally and academically interested in agriculture, food security, environmental and social stewardship, can submit an essay outlining their ideas on the causes, impacts and possible solutions to global food security. Your ability to demonstrate your original ideas and your passion will be the key selection criteria for the Youth Ag-Summit.
Essay question
In the next 40 years, it is projected that the world population will grow from 7 to about 9 billion, yet for many different reasons, 1 billion people today still do not have enough safe and nutritious food to eat. Demand is rising while resources are dwindling. Solutions are strongly debated across rural, urban and international communities.
Using your own village, town, city or country as your point of reference, tell us what you think are the underlying causes of food insecurity, and the effect it can have on a population, both at a local and global level.
Based on this, explain what changes to agricultural or food chain practices, or personal and community behaviors could help solve these issues to create a more sustainable local and global society.
Cost and Benefits
The Youth Ag-Summit serves as an international forum where young people from all over the world can exchange and discuss their ideas about the challenges in agriculture. You are invited to travel to Australia to gain valuable experience as well as an international network for the future.
Flight and accommodation costs are covered by the Youth Ag-Summit organizers.
Eligibility and Criteria
- As of 24 August 2015, participant must be a legal adult in the participant’s home county and not younger than 18 or over 25 years of age
- Legally able to travel internationally.
- Holding a valid passport, with at least six months validity after August 20, 2015. Participant is solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary travel documents to travel to and from his or her home country.
- Proficient level of English/able to communicate orally in English
- Comfortable with cultural diversity
- Have strong leadership qualities
- Some public speaking skills would be an asset
- Have a demonstrated passion for agriculture, environmental stewardship, food, world hunger, biotechnology, and/or farming
- NOT an employee of a Bayer entity or direct family member (e.g. spouse, son or daughter) or live in the same household of a Bayer employee, consultant or Essay Selection Committee member.
- NOT a previous delegate to the 2013 YAS.
Eligible Countries
Eligible participants will be nationals or legal residents from the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia,, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, PR China, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam
Application Submission Format
- A traditional essay format structure.
- Essay length must not exceed 1500 words. No minimum.
- Handwritten essays are not accepted. It must be typed and written in English
The following headings/categories provide a suggested structure:
- Introduction: This should be short (about 150 words) simply explaining your location and your point of reference, what you will discuss in the rest of the essay, and in less than 2 sentences, what will your conclusion be.
- Factors of Food Insecurity: Explain one or more of the issues, conflicts and contradictions that lie behind the food security issue, from your point of reference.
- The Global/Widespread Connection: Explain how the issue(s) you’ve identified affect a more wide-spread population
- Solutions: Explain what you think the solution(s) is/are to solve the issues.
- How would you use the Youth Ag-Summit to address and advance these issues/solutions?
How to Submit
- Essays must uploaded , in MS Word format to the online essay submission portal found at www.youthagsummit.com.
- The submission cover form must be filled in when submitting the essay.
- The fields include your name, location, date of birth, etc, plus fields to describe your relevant experience, and your reason for attending the Youth Ag-Summit.
For more information, download the application guidelines and visit Youth Ag-Summit.
