How to drive global action that transforms agricultural innovation
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This UN Food Systems 'Pre-Summit' side-event was organised in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), the World Resources Institute and the World Economic Forum
BackgrounD
After energy, agriculture is the largest source of GHG emissions that causes climate change, uses 70% of freshwater resources and leads to unprecedented biodiversity loss. At the same time, agriculture is increasingly being acknowledged for its unique potential to address global challenges.
Innovation in agriculture has the potential to develop and deploy solutions at the scale and pace that are needed to address such challenges.
From technology to social, institutional, and policy changes, innovation in agriculture can help achieve the three pillars of sustainability:
(i) Environmental – ensuring food is produced, transported, processed, sold and consumed in a nature-positive way;
(ii) Economic – ensuring that food systems provide farmers with food and nutritional security as well as decent economic returns and prosperity;
(iii) Social – ensuring fair and equitable access to technology, knowledge, information, and infrastructure, as well as addressing gender equity and the needs and aspirations of women, youth, indigenous people and other marginalized groups.
Yet, evidence points to a clear investment gap in innovation and current investments are not sufficiently addressing critical needs of farmers and other stakeholders. This calls for a rethink in innovation funding and priorities.
This #UNFSS2021 pre-summit side event will raise ambition on the transition towards net-zero, nature-positive and water-efficient food systems by 2030. It will set out a vision for agricultural innovation that works for people, nature and climate.
During this side event, we will discuss how to unlock the level of investment, engagement and collaboration that is needed for agricultural innovation to contribute to climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience, in the lead up to the UN Food Systems Summit and COP26.
Program
| Time | Agenda | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
13:30 - 13:35 | Welcoming remarks | Moderator: Susan Chomba, Director of Vital Landscapes for Africa, World Resources Institute; Race to Zero Global Ambassador and Co-Lead, Transformation through innovation for nature-positive production solution cluster |
| 13:35 - 13:45 | Scene setting | Dhanush Dinesh, Head of Partnerships and Outreach, CCAFS; Innovation Lead - Action Track 3; Knowledge and Technology Lead - Innovation Lever of Change; Co-Lead, Transformation through innovation for nature-positive production solution cluster |
| 13:45 - 13:55 | Video statement | Dr Jewel H. Bronaugh, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, United Arab Emirates |
13:55 - 14:15 | Interactive discussion with the audience, led by: |
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| 14:15 - 14:20 | Wrap-up and closing remarks | Victoria Prentis, Conservative Member of Parliament for North Oxfordshire and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). |