WFP Global Youth Institute: Day 1, Part 1
Thursday, October 16 Schedule of Activities (Beginning of Day):Check In/GYI Welcome and OrientationSymposium Luncheon with Strive MasiyiwaWater for Agriculture: Trendlines and GapsFirst of all: This conference is A LOT bigger than I had originally anticipated. There are security guards left and right and over half of the attendees are from other countries. It was definitely a shock for the event to be so large, but it made the experience that much more worthwhile.The first event on the schedule was the Symposium Luncheon. Now, like most teenagers, I'll eat just about anything but I am also a very picky eater! The meals were one of the things that I was most concerned about, but my fears had been put aside once the first dish came out. It was DELICIOUS; a huge thank you to the cooks and the Soybean Council for the fantastic meal of all soybean-based products. If I could eat like this every day, I would!During the luncheon, Mr. Strive Masiyiwa (Chairman, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) spoke an eye-opening message about Africa and food insecurity there. The prime message that I took home was that the African farmer doesn't want a donation or pity; he/she wants access to land, better seed, finance, etc. to be able to do it on their own. Which is applicable to other continents and other situations.
"Africa holds the key to our future and agriculture holds the key for Africa."
Whenever the luncheon concluded, we sat in on a Symposium Session regarding water trendlines and gaps, and how water can better be used for agricultural purposes. The speakers on this panel included: Maragret Catley-Carlson (UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water), Dr. Mehmood Khan (Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at PepsiCo), Dr. Dilip Kulkarni (President of Joint Irrigation Systems Agri-Food Division), and Paul Bakus (President of Corporate Affairs Nestle US). They spoke highly of the different techniques that their companies are doing to preserve and use water more resourcefully, as well as ways that farmers can use water with better precision.It was a great beginning of the conference. I'm looking forward to what is to come!xoxo,Holly