Overview and FAO contribution

The FAO Science and Innovation Strategy was endorsed in 2022 to strengthen the use of science and innovation in FAO’s technical and programmatic interventions and normative guidance. Its three pillars aim to strengthen science- and evidence-based decision-making, support innovation and technology at regional and country levels, and reinforce FAO’s science and innovation capacities to better serve Members. It is catalysed by two cross-cutting enablers: transformative partnerships and innovative funding and financing.

FAO’s first ever Science and Innovation Strategy

Europe and Central Asia

The region is facing many challenges in achieving agrifood systems transformation, including multiple global crises and other barriers to the science and innovation agenda.

In some areas of green agriculture, contextualized scientific evidence remains insufficient. Furthermore, national capacities are lacking to transform this evidence into policies and practices, and there is too little synergy and coordination among sectorial policies. To ensure progress in harnessing science and innovation for agrifood systems transformation, the Science and Innovation Regional Action Plan 2022–2025 provides a common framework for FAO’s action in Europe and Central Asia, both regionwide and at the country level.

The core objectives of the plan are to strengthen science- and evidence-based decision-making, with emphasis on regional-level initiatives that encompass the aggregation of data, knowledge and practices on such key topics as bioeconomy and the sustainable management of agricultural inputs. Partnerships with universities, research institutions and civil society organizations are crucial to promoting science and innovation for green agriculture through joint research programmes, projects and capacity-building activities.

Recent years have witnessed an array of endeavours to accelerate science and innovation in green agriculture in Europe and Central Asia. Notably, comprehensive assessments were conducted to identify regional science and innovation gaps and priority research areas in green agriculture. These insights, in collaboration with the University of Sant’Anna in Italy and Polytechnic University of Madrid in Spain, have helped define strategies and pathways to improve the integration of science and innovation into the greening of agrifood systems in the region.

The Science and Innovation Regional Action Plan supports innovation and technology at the country level through initiatives that encompass a wide range of actions, including: · cataloguing innovative green agricultural practices;

• developing and promoting technological innovations, such as a bioremediation technology for soils contaminated with obsolete pesticides;
• supporting the democratization of technological solutions for small-scale and family farmers; and
• disseminating information and analysis of digital initiatives and good practices involving the use of information and communications technologies.

How can the gap be bridged between science and policy for greening agrifood systems?

In the context of science and innovation for green agriculture, the science–policy interface refers to dynamic interactions among scientific research, technological advancements and the formulation of policies aimed at promoting greener agrifood systems. In addition to assisting in the generation and discovery of breakthroughs that can become innovations, science also guides and informs decision-making processes and policy development. Science–policy interfaces help people learn, draw lessons and generate solutions and transformations that can be applied to different sectors and at larger scales.

Strengthening science–policy interfaces involves bolstering institutional mechanisms for organized dialogues among scientists, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders characterized by efficiency, relevance, legitimacy, transparency and inclusivity.

To consolidate science communication for policy purposes and to harness science, technologies and innovation to achieve context-specific, sustainable and systemic solutions for greening agrifood systems, the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia works on strengthening capacities on science–policy interfaces, especially at the country level. Specifically, the Regional Office is assembling an e-library on science–policy interfaces and building the capacities of governments, academia and civil society to accelerate the transformation to more sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems in the region.

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