A. M. 100 young innovators with social impact projects will receive financial support to develop solutions that contribute to increasing the resilience and sustainability of food systems, focusing on regenerative agricultural practices, climate change mitigation and innovations in packaging sustainability. The goal will be to directly or indirectly help 500,000 people.
Building on the success of the 2023 Latin America pilot contest, which engaged 20 young leaders and benefited 130,000 people in the community, “Impulso Joven – Porque la Juventud Importa” aims to expand its impact globally and delve deeper into the challenges facing food systems, an issue of high relevance to Nestlé as a leading company in the food industry.
A highlight of the 2023 pilot project, Earth-Iot: Connecting the Countryside, used digital tools to improve effectiveness, profitability, and efficiency in rural areas of Mexico. As a result of this initiative, farmers’ income projections increased by 50%, fertilizer use was reduced by 40% and water and energy consumption by 30%, significantly reducing the carbon footprint throughout the agricultural cycle.
Today’s youth are struggling to find jobs because they lack the skills employers are looking for. The agriculture and food industry has the highest rate of skills mismatches.
That’s why Nestlé and Unesco are encouraging young people aged 18 to 30 to develop and launch business ideas that aim to make food production, processing, transportation, and consumption more resilient and sustainable. At the same time, they hope to strengthen economies and ensure higher rates of youth employment.
“A highly skilled workforce and a more resilient supply of raw materials are essential to Nestlé’s long-term success”, said Laurent Freixe CEO of Nestlé. “We face the challenge of feeding a growing population while addressing the causes and effects of climate change. These are critical challenges that require decisive action. That’s why we are helping young people as agents of change to solve them”.
“Impulso Joven- Porque la Juventud Importa”, will offer training and mentoring programs to beneficiaries tailored to their needs and priorities. These trainings will be developed largely through Nestlé’s Youth Entrepreneurship Platform (YEP), which will also serve as a hub through the six-month capacity building program.
This competition is aligned with Netlé’s Youth Initiative, which has helped 10 million young people around the world access economic opportunities over the past decade. It also reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to youth as part of its strategy that includes supporting young people to develop skills for the future by 2030 to foster the next generation of employees, agribusinesses and entrepreneurs.
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