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Highlights from the 2024 World Food Forum
"Good food for all, for today and tomorrow" was the theme of the fourth edition of the World Food Forum (WFF) flagship event that took place from the 14th–18th October 2024 at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.
This year's Forum saw over 200 events, 8,000 in-person attendees and a digital reach of 1.7 billion through social media campaigns. The event highlighted the power of collaborative efforts in driving agrifood systems transformation and ensuring access to safe, nutritious, and sustainable food for all.
Making cutting-edge technologies available to small-scale producers
The Science and Innovation Forum (SIF 2024), one of the three pillars of the World Food Forum 2024, together with the Global Youth Forum and the Investment Forum, wrapped up discussions how to make cutting-edge technologies available to small-scale producers under the theme Inclusive Science and Innovation for Agrifood Systems Transformation, Leaving No One Behind.
It explored the benefits of the adoption and diffusion of gene editing technologies and examined their implications, including risks, for small-scale producers. It also provided a platform to discuss regulatory and policy considerations.
Furthermore, the Forum focused on artificial intelligence (AI), which brought together diverse perspectives and allowed participants to explore how this technology can shape the future of agrifood systems. AI is already reshaping how we grow, harvest and distribute food, fisheries and forestry. However, AI must be inclusive and responsible for its true potential to be realised.
Youth at the centre stage
At the Global Youth Forum, young leaders took centre stage, launching the first-ever Global Youth Action Plan, a roadmap for driving impact and shaping the future of food. The Youth Innovation Lab recognised and rewarded young researchers and entrepreneurs, fostering out-of-the-box solutions for agrifood challenges. Youth from 25 WFF National Chapters led initiatives to build momentum for change at all levels. The forum also saw the launch of the “FAO Four Betters Courses”, an online repository of over 600 multilingual certified courses offered free-of-charge, strengthening FAO’s collaboration with academia and research institutions.
Investments in sustainable agrifood systems
The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum facilitated partnerships and mobilised investments in sustainable agrifood systems. With 29 countries and five regional initiatives presenting investment plans and opportunities, a total of 115 investments were showcased, designed for over 120 million beneficiaries.
The Hand-in-Hand Initiative has so far catalysed more than USD 3 billion in prioritised agrifood investments, while the investment cases proposed have the capacity to rise six times as much. The newly launched Investor Networking Lounge fostered collaboration between investors, governments and the private sector.
Supporting family farmers
Celebrating the midpoint of the UN Decade of Family Farming, the Global Family Farming Forum brought together thousands of participants to share experiences and identify concrete policy solutions to support family farmers. The event amplified the crucial role of family farmers in agrifood systems transformation. At least eight million were reached by community radio programmes, and thousands followed the event via live web stream.
Family farming, with over 550 million farms world-wide, is the backbone of food production, accounting for over 90 per cent of all farms. Family farmers, especially in low-and middle-income countries, grow diverse, nutritious food, support crop biodiversity and manage natural resources responsibly. Beyond ensuring global food security, they also preserve rural communities, cultural heritage and natural resources.
Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems
At the Global Hub on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems meeting, Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts collaborated to co-create knowledge and influence global policy discussions on Indigenous food systems. The forum highlighted the vital role of Indigenous knowledge in promoting sustainable agriculture and preserving biodiversity. FAO also announced that it will host the Third Session of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum in 2025, furthering its commitment to Indigenous youth engagement. (You can find more information on the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples in the Rural 21 2024/01 "Indigenous people – why rights and resources matter").
(FAO/ile)
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