Read-out of the FAO Director-General’s meeting with Sjoukje Heimovaara, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University and Research (WUR)

Rome - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met today Sjoukje Heimovaara, President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University and Research (WUR) on the sidelines of the World Food Forum, which comprises three tracks: global youth in agrifood systems; hand-in-hand investment; and science and innovation. 

Qu expressed his appreciation to Heimovaara for WUR’s ongoing support to the mandate of FAO. The institutions have a long history of sharing knowledge and harnessing science and innovation for agrifood systems transformation.

WUR and FAO recently signed an MoU to develop and share knowledge and harness science, technologies, and innovation for transforming agrifood systems. In the new agreement, eight areas for technical cooperation have been set out: improved agrifood economics; sustainable animal production and health; impacts of climate change, biodiversity, and environment; sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; improved food security and nutrition; strengthened agrifood systems and food safety; sustainable forestry; and partnership enhancement.

The Director-General expressed his concerns about the global food security situation and the impact on the most vulnerable people in the world. 

The President of the Executive Board underlined the important role science and innovation play in agrifood systems transformation and expressed her appreciation for the important role the Director-General gives to science and innovation in the work of FAO. 

For his part, the Director-General recalled the recently adopted FAO Science and Innovation Strategy and the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 that seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The Director-General said Wageningen University and Research can take a leading role in sharing their experience in agrifood systems transformation, for example through education and promoting new business models.

FAO and WUR are organizing a special event on 18 October on the sideline of the World Food Forum on transformative partnerships, and on communicating and harnessing science effectively.