The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released the proceedings of an international symposium on 'The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition' that discussed how such technologies can address the needs of small farmers and vulnerable populations in combating hunger and adapting to climate change.
The eight chapters of the report cover the main highlights of the symposium, as well as detailed accounts of all sessions, side events and keynote speeches delivered during the event.
September 2016: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released the proceedings of an international symposium on ‘The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition.’ Participants at the symposium discussed how such technologies can address the needs of small farmers and vulnerable populations in combating hunger and adapting to climate change.
The eight chapters of the report cover the main highlights of the symposium, as well as detailed accounts of all sessions, side events and keynote speeches delivered during the event.
Chapters one and two contain opening statements and speeches delivered during the symposium’s high-level ministerial session. Chapters three to five cover thematic parallel sessions on: climate change; sustainable food systems and nutrition; and people, policies, institutions and communities. The remaining chapters six to eight report on the discussions during a student interactive session, side events and statements made during the final plenary session.
The symposium highlighted the role of agricultural biotechnologies in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and provided examples for how low- and high-tech biotechnologies can meet the needs of family farmers. The event also underlined the importance of broadening the debate on biotechnologies beyond genetic modification and demonstrated that complementary responses from agroecology, agricultural biotechnologies and other approaches will be needed.
The symposium was held 16-18 February 2016 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Symposium was attended by more than 400 participants, members countries, the EU, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, civil society, academia and producer organizations and cooperatives. [Publication: Proceedings of the FAO International Symposium on the Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition] [Symposium Summary Report] [Symposium Website] [IISD RS Story on the Symposium]