February’s international symposium, entitled “The role of agricultural biotechnologies in sustainable food systems and nutrition”, will explore how the application of science and technology, and particularly agricultural biotechnologies, can benefit smallholders in developing sustainable food systems and improving nutrition. 

Spread over two and a half days, the meeting will feature keynote speakers who will address the plenary sessions on 15 and 16 February. What’s more, a high-level ministerial segment will take place on 16 February and three parallel sessions will be held each day ending with a final plenary session on 17 February 2016, where a summary of the parallel sessions will be reported.

The symposium is primarily focused on the broad range of biotechnologies that could result in yield increases, better nutritional qualities, and the improved productivity of crops, livestock, fish and trees on which smallholder farmers’ food systems, nutrition and livelihoods depend.

These biotechnologies encompass a wide range of low-tech to high-tech approaches that can make the development of improved varieties and breeds that adapt to the effects of climate change, faster and more efficient. 

The symposium will highlight agricultural biotechnologies that are currently available and ready to use by smallholder producers, including low-tech approaches involving artificial insemination, fermentation techniques and biofertilizers, through to high-tech approaches involving advanced DNA-based methodologies.

Participants in the symposium include representatives of governments, intergovernmental organizations and of non-state actors, including civil society, private sector, research/academic institutions and cooperatives/producer organizations.  An online interactive session with students from different regions of the world will also be organised to identify and convey key messages from the student community to policy and decision makers.

For further information about the symposium, including participation and its advisory panel, click here.