The global food system is at a crossroads and COVID-19 has revealed dangerous shortcomings in our food systems, agreed FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol and European Commission’s Director-General for Research and Innovation Jean-Eric Paquet, during a video call. They said the pandemic is threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of people and stressed that only joint action and innovative ideas could combat the impact of the pandemic in an effective way. The meeting was also attended by the Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Brussels, Rodrigo de Lapuerta and FAO Brussels staff; Head of Unit, Bioeconomy and Food Systems, Peter Wehrheim; Head of Sector FOOD 2030, Karen Fabbri, and Senior Research Policy Officer Hans-Joerg Lutzeyer.

Both parties agreed that transforming food systems is of paramount importance in tackling the pandemic and ensuring the sustainable and green transition to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement commitments.

Ms Bechdol pointed out that for FAO, innovation could be found not only in technology but also in inclusive social, economic and organizational processes and policies that make a difference on the ground. She called for greater and broader use of private sector partnerships which are an integral part of innovation. The EC Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and FAO will continue working together to harness global solutions through innovation and research in food and agriculture to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals while leaving no one behind.