FAO to host the Annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable

FAO is set to host the Third Annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable entitled “Delivering Targeted and Impactful Results: Transformative Partnerships with Academia and Research Institution” on Monday, 15 November 2021 from 13:00 to 14:45 hours CEST.

The Roundtable will inform participants on the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, highlight the need for stronger and strategic engagement with the academia and research community at country-level, and bring a voice to academia perspectives for transforming partnerships with FAO through the principles of Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and Better Life to achieve efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems.

Speakers at this year’s Roundtable include:

·         Ms Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General;

·         Dr Ismahane Elouafi, FAO Chief Scientist;

·         Dr David Shaw, Provost and Executive Vice President, Mississippi State University, USA;

·         Marcello Scalisi, Director, Union of Mediterranean Universities (UNIMED), Italy;

·         Dr Nahla Hwalla, Professor of Human Nutrition, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon;

·        Ms Zhai Lin, Division Chief for Multilateral Partnership, Department of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS);

·         Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Ghana.

FAO launched the Academia Perspectives Roundtable in 2019 in recognition of the important role academic and research institutions can play in achieving food security and nutrition for all, and in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Since then, the Roundtables serve as a platform for regular consultations and sharing of ideas between FAO and the academia partners on issues of mutual interest.

The first roundtable, in July 2019, focused on the “Future prospects for improving food and diets: the role of education and research”. The 2020 Roundtable, held at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, on 1 July, covered the theme “Preventing a health crisis from becoming a food crisis, learning from the COVID-19 pandemic experience: What role can partnerships between FAO and academic institutions play?”

Registration is open for the Third Annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable.

Simultaneous interpretation will be available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.