Youth Ag-Summit 2017 Essay Contest to attend the Ag-Summit in Brussels

• In the next 40 years, it is projected that the world population will grow from 7 to almost 10 billion. However, 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.
• In September 2015, the world’s leaders came together to agree on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.
• In the context of “Feeding a hungry planet” and using your own village, town, city or country as your point of reference, tell us on which SDGs youth can have the most impact in the next one to five years, both at a local and global level.
• You should explain how working on these SDGs youth can bring real change to agricultural or food chain practices, or personal and community behaviors, that could help feed 10 billion and create a more sustainable local and global society.

Participant Criteria

• As of October 8, 2017, participants must be a legal adult in the participant’s home
  county (for which the participant holds a passport or permanent residency) 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 October 7, 2017.
  Participant is solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary travel documents to
  travel to and from his or her home country. Please note: Should you not hold a
  passport when applying to the YAS, use any other document number in the application
  field. However, kindly be aware that you need to acquire a passport should you be
  selected for the YAS. Otherwise, you will not be able to travel.
• 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 and/or animal husbandry
• 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 or 2015 YAS.
• Participant is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws in your jurisdiction for
  participation in the 2017 YAS, including any and all laws with respect to obtaining a
  valid passport, visa or other government-required document or permission to attend
  the 2017 YAS.
• Essay must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
  Essays must not infringe on any third-party rights or intellectual property of any person,
  company or organization.
• Bayer and (PARTNER) as sponsor reserve the rights to terminate, modify or suspend this
  essay submit due to any cause.

Benefits:

• Payment of travel and accommodation expenses for the 2017 Youth Ag-Summit will be
  organized and paid in accordance with Bayer’s then current travel policy for the Summit.
• Bayer will pay for economy airfare from the participant’s permanent address as listed in the section “personal details” in the online application form to the Brussels venue, as well as for accommodations and meals provided at the Summit and travel insurance for the Summit.
• Delegates are responsible for incidental room costs (minibar, movies etc.) as well as any
  additional travel expenses incurred.

Application Submission Format

• Please use the online form to submit the essay. Any other format cannot be submitted and is not eligible. The online form can be found on the YAS website www.youthagsummit.com
• Essay must be no more than 1500 words in length.
• No minimum.
• Essay must be typed and written in English only. In addition, the essay must be wholly the original work of the applicant, written solely by the applicant; not have been previously published or otherwise distributed or disseminated in any media or format; not be in the public domain.

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.
• Your impact on the SDGs on Food Security
  Explain how youth can have an impact on food security taking into account the SDGs.
  Which SDGs are most relevant to you? How do they have an impact on the YAS theme
  “how to feed a hungry planet”? Explain how youth can contribute to change the status
  quo of agriculture and the food chain practices.
• The Global/Widespread Connection
  Explain how the issue(s) and SDGs you’ve identified affect a more wide-spread
  population. Are they locally and globally relevant?
• 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?

Submission Method

• Essays must be completed online using the essay submission tool found at www.youthagsummit.com.
• In the case of difficulty in completing the online form, please contact [email protected].

Timeline:

• Application closing time/date: January 13, 2017, 11:59 pm (GMT)
  
• Successful applicants notified: March 31, 2017
  
• Formal acceptance by successful applicants: April 15, 2017
  
• Unsuccessful applicants notified: April 30, 2017
  
• Successful applicants announced: After May 15, 2017