30 September 2024 |  12.15 - 13.45 CEST |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

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The purpose of the event is to celebrate the UNGA declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), garner support from members and build momentum for action in 2026. Through the IYWF, the international community will raise awareness of the challenges women face in agriculture, including limited access to property rights, land tenure, training, credit, markets, and climate-smart technologies, which are essential to adapt to the impacts of climate change on agricultural production and to sustainably increase productivity to feed a growing global population. Specifically, the IYWF will help highlight actions that can help close the gender gap and move us closer to achieving food security, gender equality, and the SDGs. 

Agenda

Moderator: Deputy-Director of FAO's Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division Lauren Phillips  

Introduction: H.E. Ambassador Prescott, USUN Mission in Rome

Keynote Speaker: FAO Director-General QU Dongyu

Women Farmer Panel (40 minutes):  

• Ms. Tara Vander Dussen, Dairy Farmer, New Mexico Milkmaid, USA 
• Ms. Jeannie Damonte, Founder and owner of JL Sterling and Assoc, USA
• Ms. Dev Kumari Raut, Farmer, Nepal
• Ms. Fernanda Monteiro, Researcher, WeCaN, Brazil

Q&A session (20 Minutes)  

Concluding Remarks: H.E. Ambassador Narantungalag Tserendorj, Embassy of Mongolia

  1 October 2024 |  12.15 - 13.45 CEST |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

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Understanding how water tenure regimes are legally defined, implemented and protected is fundamental to sustainable and equitable management of the resources and essential to achieving their responsible governance. Increasing water demand poses a significant challenge for all FAO Members in terms of water allocation and the governance of water tenure in the context of food security. COAG at its 28th session recommended FAO to undertake an assessment of existing water tenure arrangements and initiate a Global Dialogue on Water Tenure. In response, FAO and partners have developed innovative water tenure assessment methodologies to equip stakeholders with crucial data to inform policy decisions and legislative reform. Furthermore, FAO organizes the Global Dialogue on Water Tenure with the aim of identifying principles on the responsible governance of water tenure in an inclusive consultative process with Member States, civil society, academia and international organizations. 

Agenda

Related links

Water tenure assessment

A Global Dialogue on Water Tenure For Food Security, Climate Resilience and Social Inclusion 

  2 October 2024 |  12.15 - 13.45 CEST |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

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In line with efforts to promote efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, this interactive side event will share evidence and experience of successful approaches to promoting a just transition to sustainable agriculture, including through repurposing public policies and support. Speakers will highlight opportunities and benefits, and there will be a lengthy moderated discussion with contributions from the floor.

Agenda

Introduction from Moderator – Rachel Waterhouse, UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Opening remarks: 

• The case for repurposing public support for sustainable agrifood systems – Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, FAO 
• Emerging opportunities for repurposing, for food security and economic growth on a liveable planet – Sergiy Zorya, Global Lead for Agricultural Policy and Public Expenditure, World Bank

Keynote: 

• Policy Action in Brazil on sustainable agriculture to promote food security, while protecting biodiversity, building resilience to climate change, and fighting against hunger and poverty – Mr. Pedro Alves Corrêa Neto, Secretary for Innovation, Sustainable Development, Irrigation and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Brazil 

Panelists: 

• Improving smallholder access to finance for climate smart agriculture, through policy action and repurposing public support in Colombia - Ms. Geidy Xiomara Ortega Trujillo, Vice Minister of Agriculture. 
• Policy action to enhance sustainable agriculture: reforming the fertilizer support scheme, Mr. Henry Msatilomo, National and Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP) Coordinator, Ministry of Agriculture, Malawi 
• Repurposing land use subsidy scheme for environmental outcomes, Jonathan Baker, Deputy Director of the Farming and Countryside Programme, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Moderated Discussion:

• Moderated, interactive session with contributions from the floor

Closing remarks:

• Evelyn Ashton-Griffiths, UK Ambassador to the Rome-Based Agencies 
  

Related links

2023 Compendium of Country Case Studies

  3 October 2024 |  12.15 - 13.45 CEST |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

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The future of agrifood system transformation depends on the adoption and scaling-up of technologies and innovations, including Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) and digitalization. Uptake and scaling of technologies and innovations remain very low in low- and middle-income countries due to multiple factors, including limited availability, access, and affordability. FAO plays a critical role in improving uptake and scaling-up of technologies and innovations as effective ways to transform agrifood systems. The FAO Science and Innovation Strategy, a tool to support the delivery of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 addresses these barriers and improve adoption and scaling-up of technologies and innovations. This is being achieved by promoting new institutional models, digitalization, biotechnologies, foresights, research for development, and strengthening capacity of agricultural innovation systems, pluralistic extension services, and by promoting community-based learning, partnerships with private sector. Within this context, the side event will present some concrete examples from Members and from FAO’s recent initiatives in support of uptake and scaling of technologies.

Agenda

Welcome and introduction
Mr Vincent Martin, Director, Office of Innovation, FAO, Rome 

Initial reflections from the participants (Online poll)
Participants are requested to highlight the main barriers of uptake and adoption of technologies and innovations

Panel: experiences from countries, enabling uptake and scaling up of the technologies and innovations

• Eng. Saidi Mkomwa, Chair, AfricaMechanize Secretariat, Executive Secretary, African Conservation Tillage Network, Nairobi, Kenya
• Mr Justing Gong, co-founder of XAG, Guangzhou, China
• Senior Representative, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi, India
• Dr. Josyline C. Javelosa, Deputy Permanent Representative to Rome-based Agencies of the United Nations (FAO,WFP,IFAD), Embassy of the Philippines, Rome, Italy
  
  

Reactive panel: enabling uptake and scaling up of the technologies and innovations

• Ms Tara Vander Dussen, Environmental Scientist and Dairy Farmer, New Mexico Milkmaid, USA
• Dr Cass R Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard Law School, USA (Online)
• Prof. Angelo Riccaboni, Chair, Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean (PRIMA) Foundation, Barcelona
  

Reflections from the floor and questions and answers

What next (Online poll)
Participants are requested to highlight the key priorities for improving uptake and scaling up of the technologies and innovations

Conclusions and closing by Ms Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO, Rome

Related links

Office of innovation

Sustainable agricultural mechanization

  4 October 2024 |  9.00 - 10.30 CEST |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

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The side event will discuss the integral role of plant health within the One Health framework. It will highlight the efforts of FAO, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Members, and the broader plant health community in reinforcing the connections between human, animal, plant and environmental health. As the foundation of the food chain for both humans and animals, plants are essential. Threats to plant health pose significant risks to global health, well-being, food security and prosperity, particularly affecting the most vulnerable populations.

Agenda

Moderator: Sarah Brunel, Team Lead, Implementation and Facilitation Unit, IPPC Secretariat.

Opening remarks: Máximo Torero, FAO Chief Economist.

Overview of the linkages between One Health and Plant Health: Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General.

Plant health rapid action: knowledge exchange across continents to implement novel simulation exercises with the case of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4:

• Raixa Llauger, Agricultural Officer, FAO Subregional Office for Mesoamérica.
• Carlos Urias, Plant Health Regional Director, International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA) / Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA).
  

Synergies and interlinkages between plant health and food safety assessments: the case of Zimbabwe: Louisa Makumbe, Acting Head of Plant Quarantine Services Institute, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Zimbabwe.

Joining forces with the private sector through COLEAD to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Jeremy Knops, General Delegate, Committee Linking Entrepreneurship – Agriculture – Development (COLEAD).

Panel discussion to identify actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and the private sector to better link One Health and Plant Health

Closing remarks: Thanawat Tiensin, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, FAO.

The side event will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.
Please join us for coffee outside the Sheikh Zayed Centre at 8.30.

Find more information on COAG, FAO's work on plant production and protection and
the IPPC

  4 October 2024 |  10.30 - 12.00 CEST |  Sheikh Zayed Centre

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In 2024, the World Food Forum’s (WFF) Youth Assembly will be hosting sessions regularly throughout the year, to delve into important topics and conferences that play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our agrifood systems. In line with this, the Assembly is planning dedicated thematic sessions linked to three major FAO Committees - namely the Committee on Forestry (COFO), the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) and the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) – as well as side events during each of the Committees. The objective is to ensure that youth voices are heard and actively contribute to ongoing policy discussions and debates. Outcome documents and roadmaps from these dialogues and sessions will be presented at the WFF flagship event in October and published by the end of 2024.

In this context, this proposed side event aims to bring together the results and youth recommendations from the thematic Youth Assembly sessions held on COFO, COFI, the COAG Sub-Committee on Livestock, as well as on land and water management, and present them at COAG. The event will explore integrated approaches to sustainable agrifood systems and formulate a call to action for policymakers, urging them to consider youth viewpoints in their work. By presenting youth-led recommendations and showcasing successful youth initiatives, the side event will advocate for the integration of youth perspectives into global agricultural policies, echoing the call to action outlined in the Policy recommendations on promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems for food security and nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).

Following the event, thematic Youth Assembly sessions on One Health, biodiversity, climate change and bioeconomy will take place, culminating in a side event at CFS52. This will allow for youth-led perspectives and actionable recommendations on sustainable agrifood systems, inclusive dialogue, and multi-stakeholder engagement to address global food security and nutrition challenges. At the end of the year, an outcome document summarizing the Youth
Assembly discussions and recommendations on COAG and CFS will be drafted to advocate for the integration of youth perspectives into global agrifood systems policies. The WFF's Youth Assembly will continue to promote and expand on this call to action, with further developments to be presented at COAG 30.

Agenda

Moderator: David Giles, Youth Assembly Secretariat 

10.30 - 10.35 | Introduction and Overview: David Giles

10.35 - 10.45 | Member state presentation: Ireland

10.45 - 11.05 | Panel 1: Livestock and Forestry Linkages :

• Presenting the outcomes of the Thematic Youth Assembly session on the Sub-Committee on Livestock, One Health & AMR and COFO. Marilena Bachmeier, WFF Youth Policy Board
• Youth roadmap with NFO. Frederico Dalton, NFO
• Steps to create the youth assembly on One Health and AMR, where did the outcomes go? Next steps. Yerkem Sembayeva, NSA

11.05 - 11.15 | Panel 2: Biodiversity and bioeconomy:

• Showcasing how youth-led initiatives are driving sustainable management practices across bioeconomy. Samuel Pablo Pareira, OCB
• Presenting the outcomes from the thematic Youth Assembly session on Biodiversity and Bioeconomy. Marilena Bachmeier, WFF Youth Policy Board

11.15 - 11.30 | Presentation of Recommendations:

• Brief overview on the Thematic Assembly on COAG
• Summary of key recommendations from the thematic Youth Assembly on COAG:  
• Use and Management of Plastics in Agriculture 
• Status of Women in Agrifood Systems 
• Uptake of Technologies and Innovations.

11.30 - 11.40 | Q&A and Call to action: Joao Neto, World Food Forum

11.40 - 11.50 | Closing remarks and Next Steps: Javier García Bravo, Head of the Youth Assembly