FAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference
Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation
Programme
16 - 18 june 2025, FAO, Rome
Scaling Innovations in Biotech: From research to context specific adoption
The session will focus on approaches for scaling of biotechnological innovations and ensuring equitable access. Examples will cover economically important tropical crops, recent developments in biological nitrogen inhibition (BNI) and converting waste into biofertilizers. In addition, the examples will also consider demand from markets and consumers that is shaping biotechnology development and adoption. The discussion will highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and financing mechanisms including technical cooperation, partnership and international finance. Emphasis will be given to transition from research to context specific adoption by rural communities facilitated through national strategic processes.
- Advancements in biotechnological research on economically important tropical crops and scaling for context specific adoption in China
Mr Sanwen Huang, President, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), Hainan, China - Scaling biotechnological innovations and their equitable access by smallholders in low- and middle-income countries.
Mr Prabhu L. Pingali, Professor of Applied Economics & Director, Tata-Cornell Institute (TCI), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA - Facilitating transition of biotechnologies from the research to adoption enabled through Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) roadmap in South Africa
Ms Maneshree Jugmohan-Naidu, Director: Agricultural Biotechnology, Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Pretoria, South Africa - Recent Developments in biological nitrogen inhibition (BNI) and potential for scaling in support of adaptation and mitigation objectives
Mr Tadashi Yoshihashi, Project Leader for BNI-system, Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), Tsukuba, Japan - Scaling biotech products and response under real-world farmers’ conditions
Mr David Spielman, Director, Innovation Policy & Scaling Unit, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, USA - Transforming agricultural waste into bio-fertilizer and outreach to rural women farmers in Uganda
Ms Elizabeth Kabakoyo, Founder, Glowish Agro Solutions, Uganda (On-line) - Role of technical cooperation, partnership and the importance of supporting international finance. Experience of Argentina as a main training partner
Mr. Manuel Chiappe, Undersecretary of Agricultural and Forestry Production of the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina (On-line)