Three young leaders have been chosen as part of a selection of 100 participants for this year’s Youth Ag Summit taking place in Brazil. UK delegates Bethany Love, Lauren Wheeler and Joshua Joyce will be travelling to Brazil November 4-6 joining representatives from 45 other countries to tackle the challenge of how to feed a growing population by 2050.
Each prospective participant pitched an idea as part of the application process, to develop during the Summit, which enables food security in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This year’s crop of 100 delegates includes entrepreneurs, farmers, students, plant scientists, and economists – to name a few. Their ideas focused on tackling challenges as varied as gender equality, sustainable agriculture, youth education, food waste, and climate change. Despite their varied backgrounds and interests, all share a commitment to driving progress towards a world without hunger.
For the chosen delegates, the Youth Ag Summit will function as an idea incubator: helping them turn their ideas into reality and equipping them with the skills needed to realize their projects. They will also hear from expert speakers and participate in field trips to learn more about the agricultural industry in Brazil.
“About 800 million people around the world go to bed hungry each night, and these young innovators are eager to help solve this challenge,” said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and head of the Crop Science Division. “The 100 delegates headed to Brazil in November all share a commitment to driving innovation in agriculture, which is vital if we are to both feed the world and ensure healthy ecosystems.‘‘
Fabiano Paganella, president of Nuffield Brazil, added, “The next generation will need to create a better tomorrow. But to do that, they need to be given a voice today. The Youth Ag Summit gives young leaders the chance to learn and practice new skills – and we are excited to help deliver these opportunities to 100 new agvocates in November.”
Introducing the UK delegates
- Bethany Love, PhD Candidate in Plant and Crop Science with the International Wheat Yield Partnership, University Nottingham
Bethany is currently researching the mechanisms of determining grain traits, with a special focus on invisible traits exploring the link between hormones and yield traits in wheat. Bethany is passionate about her PhD project and the role it plays in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, taking her research to the next level and expanding her global network by attending the Summit.
- Lauren Wheeler, Sixth Form student, Cheadle Hulme School
Lauren is in her final year at Cheadle Hulme School, and is interested in expanding the role that nutrition education plays in enhancing food security in the UK. She wants to develop meal plans as a mandatory qualification for 16-18 year olds throughout the UK, engaging with her generation on how to make nutritious meals with a handful of sustainably sourced ingredients whilst on a low budget.
- Joshua Joyce, PhD Candidate in Plant Sciences, John Innes Centre
Joshua is a member of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Alongside his PhD researching plant-pest interactions and enhancing plant resistance, he is a keen educator and seeks to develop a grass-root programme during the Summit which enables and equips the general public with greater knowledge on the food cycle and sustainable consumption.
