FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia

Greening our future: The potential of science, innovation, and youth empowerment for greening agrifood systems

Hybrid Event, 18/10/2022

11:00–12:45 CEST

Harnessing science, technology and innovation is key to finding solutions to complex challenges facing sustainable agrifood systems in the Europe and Central Asian region. A wide range of existing approaches, technologies, and practices are rooted in science and innovation, including indigenous and local knowledge.

This event, organized under the FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2022, will capitalize on the Regional Science and Innovation consultation in November 2021. It will showcase how science and innovation can empower youth to be instrumental in greening agriculture, for transforming agrifood systems to avoid environmental degradation and for coping with biodiversity loss, food insecurity and nutritional needs, climate change, and social inequality challenges.

It will become the first step in the establishment of regional multi-stakeholder partnership on green agriculture to strengthen the science-policy interlinkages, emphasizing how existing scientific evidence can effectively guide policymakers in greening agrifood systems. It will showcase environmental sustainability challenges in the region, raise awareness of the importance to identifying and adapting the technologies from the new frontiers of green agriculture and it will generate momentum to advance robust science-based communication and empowering youth with engaging them in the discussion and planning the future of agriculture in the region.

Expected results:

  • The role of science and innovation in the greening of agrifood systems and related policies recognized.
  • The involvement and the role of youth in the harnessing of science and innovation for greening agrifood systems enhanced.
  • The establishment of the regional network on science and innovation in greening agrifood systems initiated within the framework of the Regional Technical Platform on Green Agriculture.

The event will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation in Russian.