Bayer recently announced the 100 participants it selected from around the world to participate in the virtual 2021 Youth Ag Summit from November 16-17. Blake Van Der Kamp, a 19-year-old Iowa State University agriculture education and public relations student from Prairie City, Iowa, has been selected as one of six delegates representing the United States.
Youth leaders between the ages of 18 and 25 were selected based on their experience, background, and passion for sustainable global agriculture. They?ll have the opportunity to learn and collaborate with others on solutions to issues like sustainable agriculture, food security, and working to bridge the understanding gap between producers and consumers.
?I am excited to attend the Youth Ag Summit, as I will have an opportunity to collaborate with agriculturists from across the globe and be able to witness sustainable innovations that will cultivate a brighter tomorrow,? Van Der Kamp said.
This year?s Youth Ag Summit will be held virtually in order to ensure the safety and health of everyone taking part. As official partners for the 2021 Youth Ag Summit, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Babele will provide an online accelerator platform called YAS University, where delegates will work on their own ?Thrive for Change? projects throughout a 10-week period following the November Summit from January to March 2022.
Van Der Kamp was selected based on their ideas and previous advocacy work that best reflects the summit?s overall theme: ?Feeding a Hungry Planet.?
?The Youth Ag Summit has always been a great opportunity for Bayer 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,? Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division, said. ?By supporting and nurturing these future leaders, we aid them in what we hope will be a lifelong journey of learning and action for a more sustainable food system.?
For more on the Youth Ag Summit 2021, visit youthagsummit.com and follow #AgvocatesWithoutBorders on Twitter and @youthagsummit on Instagram.
