Key Impact Points:
- 100 teams of young innovators will receive grants to enhance food system resilience, targeting 500,000 people globally.
- Pilot projects already show tangible results: increased farmers’ incomes by 50%, reduced fertilizer use by 40%, and lowered water and energy consumption by 30%.
- The initiative addresses significant youth unemployment by aligning skills training with sustainable agricultural and food industry needs.
Food Systems Under Pressure
Food systems globally face increasing strain due to climate change and a rapidly growing population. Young people lack the necessary skills employers seek, particularly in agriculture—the sector most affected by this skills mismatch.
Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé, emphasized,
“A highly qualified future workforce and a more resilient supply of raw materials are essential to Nestlé’s long-term success.”
Scaling Proven Solutions
Building on the success of a 2023 pilot in Latin America—which involved 20 young leaders and benefited 130,000 people—the expanded program, Youth Impact: Because You Matter, aims to scale globally. It targets young innovators aged 18-30, empowering them to develop sustainable solutions in regenerative agriculture, climate mitigation, and packaging sustainability.
A standout pilot project, Earth-IoT: Conectando el Campo, successfully boosted farmers’ income by 50%, cut fertilizer use by 40%, and reduced water and energy consumption by 30%, significantly decreasing carbon footprints in Mexico’s rural communities.
Bridging Skills and Sustainability
The partnership seeks to close the gap between the current youth skills mismatch and employers’ evolving requirements. Nestlé and UNESCO will provide tailored training, mentorship, and funding through Nestlé’s Youth Entrepreneurship Platform (YEP).
Freixe highlighted the urgency, stating,
“We’re facing the challenge of feeding a growing population while addressing the cause and effect of climate change. These are critical challenges that require decisive actions. That’s why we are supporting young changemakers in solving them.”
This initiative aligns with Nestlé’s broader strategy, Nestlé needs YOUth, which has already empowered ten million youth in economic opportunities over the past decade, reflecting a strong commitment to equipping future agripreneurs and food entrepreneurs with skills critical for sustainable development.
Related Article: Nestlé Introduces Edible Fork for Maggi Cup Noodles in India to Reduce Plastic Use
