IFAJ 2016 Young Leaders Chosen

Kelly Marshall

IFAJThe International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has selected ten participants for this year’s IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award.  Judges selected candidates based on leadership potential, proven abilities and a narrative explaining their interest in the program.  The ten selected journalists will have the opportunity to attend an IFAJ congress and a boot camp style workshop in Bonn, Germany.

The successful applicants for 2016 are:

  • Dorien Colman, journalist, Belgium
  • Richmond Fringpong, journalist, Ghana
  • Danielle Grindlay, journalist, Australia
  • Sarah Hill, editor, USA
  • Julienne Isaacs, freelance print journalist, Canada
  • Inoussa Maiga, multimedia communicator, Burkina Faso
  • Cheyenne Stein, New Zealand
  • Caroline Stocks, freelance journalism and communications consultant, Great Britain
  • Anjete Tjomsland, communication advisor, Norway
  • Lukas Weninger, journalist, Austria

The judges for the 2016 competition were IFAJ executive members Jana Janku from Slovakia, Adrian Krebs from Switzerland and Niels Damsgaard Hansen from Denmark. The competition coordinator is Riitta Mustonen, IFAJ Secretary General.

With the IFAJ constitutional changes adopted last October, 2016 is the first year the young leaders program has included participants from new member countries Burkino Faso and Ghana. IFAJ recognizes the vision of Alltech, and company founder and president Dr. Pearse Lyons, for supporting IFAJ’s broadened mandate and for the commitment to up-and- coming leaders in agricultural journalism.

“This award has existed for 11 years now thanks to the vision, generosity and constant support of Alltech, particularly with its emphasis on youth development,” says Mustonen.

“We are pleased to once again help facilitate this extraordinary opportunity for young journalists to further develop their communication skills, learn about the latest agricultural developments from the German agribusiness sector and network with some of best agricultural journalists in the world,” said Lyons. “At Alltech, we believe in supporting and nurturing young minds, as these journalists will indeed be the lead communicators of the future, connecting farm to fork.”

The program has now hosted nearly 100 young journalists.

Agribusiness, Alltech, IFAJ, Journalism