Tomorrow they will feed world

Zach Mounsey already has an impressive credible list of agricultural accomplishments.

Six forward-thinking, passionate young people have been selected to represent New Zealand at a summit focused on solving one of the world's most important issues -- how to feed a growing population.

Hamish Clarke, James Robertson, Zach Mounsey (Waikato), Sarah Crofoot (Wairarapa), Rosario Monzales (Massey) and Shaun Snoxell (South Canterbury) will join 100 delegates aged 18 to 25 from 33 countries, selected for the second global Youth Ag-Summit.

The summit, which is themed Feeding a Hungry Planet, will be held in Canberra, Australia from August 24-28. It is hosted by Future Farmers Network Australia and Bayer CropScience.

Bayer NZ managing director Dr Holger Detje, who also heads Bayer NZ's CropScience division, says he is impressed with the quality of the New Zealand delegates.

"To select the delegates we ran an essay competition and I must say the quality of the work submitted was outstanding. Entrants had to outline their position and ideas on the underlying causes of food insecurity and its effect on a growing population. The challenges and solutions identified highlight that opportunities like the Youth Ag-Summit provide a great platform to continue further discussions on what is increasingly an important topic," says Detje.

"We believe there is a need for young leaders to be engaged in finding sustainable agricultural solutions to the growing global need for safe and nutritious food.

"The Youth Ag-Summit is an opportunity to broaden the perspectives from others around the world. It will also enable young leaders to further grow personally and develop their knowledge."

The New Zealand delegation will be accompanied by a mentor and, once in Canberra, they will network, hear from guest speakers and participate in debates, discussions, group work and industry tours. The summit's purpose is to generate innovative, sustainable and actionable solutions driven by their leadership.

The delegates will identify, connect and form ideas for worldwide agricultural progress. This collaborative approach aims to leave them with actionable ideas they take back to their home countries to embed in their personal operations and careers.

The delegates are from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, US and Vietnam.

See the website youthagsummit.com to meet the delegates and for more information on the Youth Ag-Summit.

Hamish Clarke

Keen outdoors man Hamish grew up on his family deer, dairy and dairy support farm near Otorohanga in Waikato. His passion for innovation and leadership within agriculture and food supply chains led him to study a Bachelor of Agriculture Science at Lincoln University. Currently, Hamish is completing his Masters of Agricultural Science, for which he is researching the viability of robotic milking (AMS) in farms in Canterbury with the support of a OneFarm scholarship.

James Robertson

James was brought up on a Waikato 200-cow pedigree Holstein-Friesian farm. During his school years he was heavily involved with the New Zealand Young Farmers Association and their TeenAg programmes and competitions. James' passion for agriculture and business meant that studying a Bachelor of AgriCommerce at Massey University was the perfect fit for him. Currently, James is majoring in International Business and hopes to experience different agricultural systems around the world.

Zach Mounsey

Zach's passion for the agricultural industry stems from his upbringing on his parents' dairy farm in Otorohanga, Waikato. He has completed a Bachelor of Management Studies, majoring in Finance and Strategic Management as well as a New Zealand Diploma in Business. In Zach's engagement with the agricultural industry he has become a chairman of Federated Farmers in Otorohanga, a Fonterra networker, an economist at DairyNZ and developed a partnership in a dairy farm.

Rosario Pillar Monzales

Known to friends and family as Rio, Rosario was exposed to the farming community in her early life through her farmer grandparents. She has since worked for two international NGOs in the Philippines that advocate nutrition and food security for impoverished children and families. Currently, Rosario is studying for a Master of Science in Human Nutrition at Massey University. She enjoys travelling because it allows her to explore nature and different cultures around the world.

Sarah Crofoot

Sarah grew up 45 minutes north of New York City on a seventh generation farm. She moved to New Zealand when she was 8 and her family farm Castlepoint Station, a sheep and beef property in Wairarapa. Sarah completed a Bachelor of AgriCommerce at Massey University, Palmerston North, and graduated with First Class Honours. She also completed post-graduate studies in International Trade and Agri Food, half of which she completed at the University of Missouri in the US.

Shaun Snoxell

Shaun spent his childhood growing up on his parents' dairy farm near Waimate, South Canterbury. After finishing school in 2011, he decided to take a gap year and spent time volunteering in Africa. This experience gave him a passion for alleviating poverty and led him to pursue a career in agriculture development. After returning from his travels, Shaun began studying towards a B.Commerce and Agriculture degree at Lincoln University. He hopes some day in work in international rural development.