QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), stated today that science, technology, and innovation are critical to accelerating the transformation of agri-food systems and combating hunger and malnutrition.
The Director-General spoke at the start of Science Days, a virtual meeting organized by the UN Food Systems Summit Scientific Group and sponsored and hosted by FAO (8-9 July).
‘‘Harnessing science, technology, and innovation is one of the cornerstones for this change,” Qu remarked, emphasizing the importance of taking a holistic, integrated strategy to reform agri-food systems. Science is essential for identifying synergies and trade-offs, as well as for advancing evidence-based policymaking.”
He emphasized that innovation includes technological, social, institutional, policy, and financial aspects, as well as new methods of thinking and cooperating. “To reach impact at scale, we must develop new and transformative partnerships, including with the private sector and civil society.” the FAO Director-General said. “We need to listen to the farmers, not just to the scientists.” the FAO Director-General added. “We need to pay attention to farmers as well as scientists.”
In a video message to the event, UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohamed stated that it is not enough to think about increasing productivity to reform food systems; it is also necessary to consider the relationship between human and planetary health. She also stressed the necessity of incorporating evidence and experience from indigenous peoples’ food systems, as well as recognizing and empowering all stakeholders, particularly women and youth.
Agnes Kalibata, the UN Special Envoy for the Food Systems Summit, spoke at the event and emphasized the importance of local contexts in food system transformation, as well as the role of science in providing a foundation for factually correct evidence that will inform policy and investment decisions.
Joachim von Braun, Chair of the Scientific Group for the UN Food Systems Summit, emphasized the need for culturally sensitive science, stressing the group’s 28 scientists’ respect for indigenous, traditional, and citizen-based knowledge.
Around 3000 people from the public and private sectors, research institutions, and civil society will attend the Science Days to discuss how science, technology, and innovation can help achieve healthy diets and more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems in order to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
