KEY INFORMATION

• Virtual event (follow the Zoom registration link)
• Time and date: 9:00-11:00 in Rome, 15:00-17:00 in Beijing / Thursday, 25 August 2022
• Languages: English

Global food security is facing unprecedented challenges to feed the growing population with less environmental impact. Improving food production capacity by empowering smallholders is critical to address this issue. Science and Technology Backyards (STB),as an innovative approach to building multi-actors agricultural innovation platforms (MAIPs), are hubs located in rural areas that link the scientific community with farmers’ community to facilitate information exchange and technological innovation for achieving sustainable intensification. The STB approach has provided a promising systematic and holistic approach for agricultural green development (AGD). Therefore, we organise this webinar to introduce the STB as a novel approach to building MAIPs to empower smallholders for sustainable crop production.

The webinar consists of two presentations on STB and AGD and case studies.It also runs a round table discussion to share STB experiences from facilitators, professors, lead farmers, and undergraduate students from the Sino-Africa STB project.

OBJECTIVES

The webinar is aimed to:

(1)   introduce the working mechanism of STB to AGD;

(2)   highlight the experience of people benefited from STB; and

(3)   explore the way forward in transforming agriculture towards green development through STB.

OPENING REMARKS                                                                                                         

Ms Ismahane Elouafi, FAO Chief Scientist

WELCOME ADDRESS

Prof. Taisheng Du, vice president of China Agriculture University

SPEAKERS

Prof. Fusuo Zhang, academician of China Engineering Academy, professor from China Agricultural University

Mr Puyun Yang, Agricultural Officer at the Office of Innovation (OIN), FAO

Mr Ramasamy Selvaraju, Senior Agricultural Officer, OIN, FAO

Prof. Oene Oenema, Professor of Wageningen University & Research

PANELISTS

Mr Alfred Tsitsi, Manager of TAP Framework Project, FAO Country Office in Malawi

Prof. Weifeng Zhang, China Agricultural University

Mr Xinmin Lin, lead farmer, Fujian pomelo STB

Mr David Ngula Mutten Dango, STB student