FAO to host the fifth annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable at the 2023 World Food Forum

On 17 October, FAO will host the Fifth Annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable – a hybrid, interactive dialogue on the role of FAO partnerships with academia and research institutions to address climate change and food security, as a side event at the World Food Forum (WFF).

Climate change is increasingly threatening the global goal to end hunger, causing disruption to agrifood systems and impacting food security and nutrition for the most vulnerable countries and populations.

Ambitious action and collaborative efforts across different sectors, stakeholders, and geographic regions are required to address climate change and its effect on agrifood systems and ensure global food security.

Transformative partnerships with academia and research institutions are essential, as they leverage the collective strength, expertise, and resources of diverse stakeholders to address multifaceted challenges and create more resilient and equitable agrifood systems in the face of climate change.

The Fifth Annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable, a part of the 2023 World Food Forum, will bring together experts, students and young researchers from academic and research institutions to provide a platform for constructive and forward-looking discussions with FAO focused on the following key areas:

The role of academia and research institutions: This discussion will focus on the proactive role that academic and research institutions can play in advancing the agriculture and climate change agenda. Participants will explore how academic and research institutions can bring their expertise, resources and knowledge to address the pressing challenges associated with climate change in agriculture.

Emerging areas for research: The Roundtable will highlight the emerging areas of research on climate change-agriculture interactions that will become increasingly important over the next ten years.

Potential partnership areas with FAO: To translate research findings into practical solutions on the ground, the Roundtable will also focus on identifying potential and strategic partnership areas for FAO with academia and research institutions. Joint action at local, regional, and global levels is critical to effectively implementing strategies to address climate change and ensure food security and nutrition for all.

Experts

Marcela Villareal, Director of the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division of FAO will moderate the discussion and lead a panel that includes:

• Prof. Tantely M. Razafimbelo-Andriamifidy (Madame), Director of the Laboratoire des RadioIsotopes (LRI), University of Antananarivo, Madagascar.
• Mr. Gideon Iheme, Lecturer/Researcher, Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), Nigeria
• Dr Marie-Christine Cormier-Salem, Director of Research, the Research Institute for Development, France.
• Dr Mimmo (Domenico) Parisi, Senior Advisor for European and Data Science Development, Mississippi State University, USA.
• Dr Zitouni Ould-Dada, Deputy Director, FAO’s Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, Italy.

Registration and participation in the event

Registration, for in-person or virtual participation in the hybrid event, is through the World Food Forum virtual platform. After registration, in-person participants will receive accreditation and passes to access FAO premises and the German Meeting room (Room C229) while virtual participants will join the side event through WFF Zoom platform.