Scientific and academic sector Regional Consultation for the 39th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC 39)

Live Broadcast

Backgrounds

Collaboration among the different actors that make up food systems is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, in which the Scientific and Academic Sector plays a fundamental role as a key technical partner in the generation of data, knowledge, information, education, and advances in science, technology, and innovation for the transformation of agrifood systems toward more healthy, sustainable, efficient, resilient, and inclusive systems.

The 39th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC39) is the Organization’s main governing body at the regional level, where FAO Member States in Latin America and the Caribbean meet to establish the Organization’s regional priorities for the upcoming biennium. During the Conference, Ministers of State and high-level officials discuss challenges and priorities related to food and agriculture.

LARC39 will be held in person from 2 to 6 March 2026 in the city of Brasília, Brazil, and will be livestreamed through FAO Americas’ online channels.

Prior to LARC39, FAO organizes consultations with non-governmental stakeholders, including the Scientific and Academic Sector. This consultation will take place virtually on 14 January 2026. This space will enable an exchange of ideas so that the sector may share its perspectives and potential contributions to FAO’s areas of work. In addition, it will serve to draft a statement reflecting the sector’s position, to be presented and delivered to Member Countries during LARC39, as well as to elect the spokespersons of the Scientific and Academic Sector who will represent the sector at the Conference.

Objective

To learn about the perspectives, projections, and contributions of the Scientific and Academic Sector in relation to FAO thematic areas at LARC39. (Better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind)

Specifics Objectives

1. Identify and assess progress in FAO’s work in the region since the 38th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean.
2. Develop and propose recommendations for LARC39, using as a reference the official documents prepared for that session.
3. Draft the statement of the Scientific and Academic Sector to be presented at LARC39.
4. Democratically elect the spokespersons who will represent the sector at LARC39.
5. Create a space for exchange between the LARC38 spokespersons and those of LARC39, allowing the transfer of previous experience to better prepare the sector’s new representatives.

Products

1. Systematization document of Session 1: Dialogue between FAO and the Scientific and Academic Sector.
2. Summary document compiling comments and recommendations from the Scientific and Academic Sector on FAO’s progress since LARC38 and proposals for the upcoming biennium, derived from the analysis and discussion of the official technical document containing FAO’s proposed agenda for the next biennium.
3. Statement of the Scientific and Academic Sector for LARC39.
4. Nominations of spokespersons of the Scientific and Academic Sector for LARC39.