HASTEN Lecture Series
September 2025 - February 2026
The HASTEN Lecture Series is part of FAO’s project Harnessing SDG-based Agrifood System Transformation through the Empowerment of the Next Generation of Agrifood Leadership in Africa (HASTEN). HASTEN supports SDG aligned agrifood systems transformation in Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Rwanda, with a focus on young women and men in the public, private and academic sectors.
The lecture series responds directly to country-identified priorities and knowledge gaps. It builds on findings from the project's inception missions, a regional capacity survey, and insights from the 2025 HASTEN study visit to Ireland. Each session is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of systems transformation while inspiring context-relevant leadership and innovation across sectors.
Targeting young professionals across the public, private and academic sectors, the series emphasizes transdisciplinary systems thinking and the interlinkages among the SDGs.
Lectures
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A systems approach to agrifood systems transformation. Practical applications - Case studies from Rwanda and Sierra Leone
Date 18 September 2025, 11:30-13:00
Presenters
- Dalia Mattioni, Agrifood Systems Specialist, FAO Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division
- Atisha Kumas, Economist, FAO Investment Centre
- Mehnaz Paracha, Senior Programme and Food Systems Policy Advisor, FAO Rwanda
Explore a systems approach to agrifood systems transformation and learn how to apply systems thinking, to effectively integrate it into your work.
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A systemic approach to SDG interlinkages - Understanding complexity and fostering policy integration for sustainable development
Date 11 November 2025, 14:00–15:30
Presenters
- Ivonne Lobos Alva, Team Leader: Sustainable Transitions; Senior Expert, SEI Latin America
- Daniela Maestre, Research Associate, SEI Latin America
Enhance your understanding of SDG interlinkages with a view to strengthening policy integration for sustainable development. This session will provide an overview of how SDG interactions are conceptualized and why understanding synergies and trade-offs — particularly in agrifood systems — is critical for policymaking.
Multistakeholder engagement and governance for agrifood system transformation - Advancing the SDGs.
Date 25 November 2025, 11:30-13:00
Presenters
- Siobhan Kelly, Agribusiness Officer, FAO Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division
- Dr. Florence Dwoki Lado, Evaluation and development consultant, South Sudan
- Edward Walugembe, Commissioner, Strategic Coordination and Implementation, Office of The Prime Minister, Uganda
- Dr. Tom Arnold, Chair, Ireland Africa Rural Development Committee (IARDC), Ireland
- Pramisha Thapaliya, Agrifood Systems Specialist, FAO Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division
Featuring case studies from South Sudan, Uganda and Ireland, this lecture discussed how to foster effective stakeholder engagement and apply inclusive, participatory design to drive sustainable agrifood system transformation and collaboration for impactful governance, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Advancing agrifood innovation systems through inclusive approaches in science, technology and innovation – Key lessons from Ethiopia and Peru
Date 4 December 2025, 14:00-15:30
Presenters
- Henry van Burgsteden Senior Innovation Officer, Digital Agriculture Lead, Office of Innovation, FAO
- Fruit Tessema, Innovation Specialist Digital Agriculture, Office of Innovation, FAO
- Robinson López Monzón, Founder of IDENTI
This lecture explored how inclusive digital innovations can help tackle major challenges in agrifood systems transformation, focusing on the experiences of small scale and family farmers and micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. It featured case studies from Ethiopia and Peru, offering concrete examples of how digital solutions are already unlocking new opportunities for farmers and agrifood enterprises on the ground.
Linking agrifood SMEs to finance and innovation for sustainable agrifood systems
Date 20 January 2026, 14:00
Presenter FAO Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division, Rural Finance Team
Examine how improved access to finance, innovation, and SDG- aligned business models can enhance the sustainability and resilience of agrifood SMEs.
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