NIT Rourkela researchers develop IoT-enabled devices to monitor food quality
The objective will be to help 500,000 people directly or indirectly
One hundred teams of young social impact innovators will receive grants to develop relevant skills and solutions that enhance the resilience and sustainability of food systems with a focus on regenerative agricultural practices, climate change mitigation and packaging sustainability innovations. The objective will be to help 500,000 people directly or indirectly.
Building on the success of a pilot launched in Latin America in 2023, which engaged 20 young leaders and benefitted 130 000 community members, Youth Impact: Because You Matter aims to expand its impact globally and zoom in on the challenges facing food systems, a topic of high relevance to Nestlé as a food company.
One notable project from the pilot, Earth-IoT: Conectando el Campo, used digital tools to improve efficiency, profitability, and sustainability in Mexican rural areas. This initiative resulted in a 50 per cent increase in farmers’ income projections, a 40 per cent reduction in fertiliser usage, and a 30 per cent decrease in water and energy consumption, significantly lowering the carbon footprint throughout the agricultural cycle.
Young people today are struggling to find work because they lack the skills that employers are looking for. The agriculture and food sector has the highest rate of skills misalignments. At the same time, young people are showing less interest in farming, while agriculture is also evolving. The increasing need to produce food sustainably while at the same time ensuring food security for a growing population means new skills are needed.