FAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference
Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation
Programme
16 - 18 june 2025, FAO, Rome
Opening plenary session
Welcome to join the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and senior biotechnologists and policy makers for the opening of the FAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference - Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation.
This opening session will set the stage and emphasize how science-based approaches support food security, better nutrition and food safety. The session will highlight the role of biotechnologies as catalyst for agrifood system transformation and for achieving multiple SDGs. The session will highlight the past achievements, current status and recent breakthrough in biotechnologies and how the wide range of biotech options will benefit smallholders in developing countries.
Welcome and opening Address
Dr QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO
Keynote addresses
- Science-based approaches to support food security, better nutrition and food safety in the context of transforming agrifood systems
Mr. Carlos Goulart, Secretary of Animal and Plant Health at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Brazil - Biotechnologies as catalysts for agrifood systems transformation and its role in achieving multiple SDGs
Mr Víctor Manuel Villalobos Arámbula, Former Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mexico - Role of National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in development and application of Biotechnologies
Mr Sanwen Huang, President, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), Hainan, China - Application of biotechnologies for smallholders
Mr Papa Abdoulaye Seck, Former Director General, Africa Rice Center and Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senegal - Taking stock of the past achievements, status and recent breakthroughs in biotechnological research and development
Ms Louise Fresco Professor & Former President, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands