Agrifood systems face complex and unprecedented challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, migration, conflict, economic instabilities, and COVID-19. Inequality of income is growing, and many rural inhabitants live in poverty or extreme poverty.
The world is not on track to achieve zero hunger by 2030. FAO believes that Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) can accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems so that they become MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Latest
news
Scaling nuclear science solutions to accelerate agrifood systems transformation in Africa
17/04/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Joint
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Event
FAO at the World Summit on Information Society Forum 2026
Hybrid Event| 06/07/2026 - 10/07/2026
At WSIS Forum 2026, taking place from 6 to 10 July 2026, FAO will build on its facilitation mandate to showcase how trusted data governance, inclusive AI, digital public goods and collaborative innovation ecosystems can support agrifood systems transformation.
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Event
FAO at the AI for Good Summit 2026
The 2026 AI for Good Summit, taking place from 7 to 10 July 2026 at Palexpo in Geneva, will bring together governments, international organizations, industry, academia, civil society and the technical community to explore how AI, robotics and emerging technologies can help address global challenges and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Publications
Highlights of science and innovation in FAO’s work
2026
The Highlights of science and innovation in FAO’s Work report was developed to illustrate the breadth and depth of science and innovation in FAO’s efforts....
FAO Podcasts
The Work We Do Ep 4. Science & Innovation in Agriculture and the Digital Divide
06/05/2026
In this episode of The Work We Do, we sit down with Charles Spillane, Chief Scientist at FAO. Charlie traces how his upbringing on a farm in Ireland and an early interest in science fiction shaped his techno-optimistic worldview and his belief in the power of science and innovation to improve society.
Key messages
FAO’s role in science, technology and innovation
FAO contributes to strengthening the link between science, research and development and does contribute to science (for example, through its work on data) and develops innovations (for example, institutional innovations such as Codex Alimentarius, social innovations such as Farmer Field Schools and technological innovations such as the geospatial platform of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative).FAO translates the science and innovation that is developed by other actors into practical tools and policy guidance for development. FAO provides support to countries on innovative practices, approaches, methodologies and tools. It also supports science-driven innovative processes, platforms, and multi-stakeholder mechanisms.
Due to its unique position as a specialized agency of the UN and facilitator of intergovernmental processes, FAO is well-positioned to connect technical, development and financial partners, policymakers, producers, scientists and innovators, in all sectors of agrifood systems through a shared global agenda. FAO’s Governing and Statutory Bodies provide an interface for science and policy. FAO is uniquely placed to convene all agrifood systems actors to discuss and debate contentious scientific issues, including prevailing power asymmetries and socioeconomic inequalities. FAO is also uniquely placed to support its Members in strengthening national policy frameworks for enhanced science and innovation, identifying research priorities at regional and global levels and communicating them to the major research institutions.
Technology
Technology is an instrumental part of the package of solutions needed to transform agrifood systems, and the development and diffusion of new technologies and associated knowledge, can be a powerful driver of sustainable development.
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Innovation
Innovation is a central driving force for achieving a world free from hunger and malnutrition. Technological, social, policy, institutional, and financial innovations are key to transforming agrifood systems.
Read moreScience, technology and innovation and the SDGs
Science, technology and innovation are at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and appear in numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
Several agrifood systems-related SDG targets address technology (SDG2a, SDG 6a and SDG14a for agriculture and rural infrastructure, water use, and marine technology respectively). Other SDGs include targets on technology related to energy, women’s empowerment, infrastructure and industrialization, and means of implementation (including partnerships).
Innovation is included in relation to economic productivity, decent job creation, industrial development and capacities of developing countries.
Science (with technology and innovation) is recognized as a key means of implementation of SDGs. The 2030 Agenda's Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) and its UN Interagency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation (IATT), in which FAO is an active member, provides a multistakeholder cooperation mechanism to promote coordination within the UN system.
