Our Annual Conference was held on March 23, 2021, consisting of live broadcasts, moderated panel discussions and dialogues, interactive interventions, networking opportunities and exhibitions, all within an innovative virtual platform.
Videos from this event
2021 Annual Conference: Introduction
António Guterres, Janez Potočnik
2021 Annual Conference: Renewing leadership within the food system
Qu Dongyu
2021 Annual Conference: Making the food system climate resilient
Catherine Bertini
Summaries from this event
Articles/News
Renewing leadership within the food system
Apr 06, 2021
Read NowArticles/News
Making the food system climate resilient
Apr 12, 2021
Read NowArticles/News
Healthy food for all at scale
Apr 19, 2021
Read NowArticles/News
Learnings from COVID to build the food system
Apr 26, 2021
Read NowArticles/News
Our ForumforAg virtual venue
Mar 14, 2021
Read NowConfirmed speakers (in alphabetical order)
Catherine Bertini
Distinguished Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Catherine Bertini
Distinguished Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Catherine Bertini is a distinguished fellow of global food and agriculture at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. For 10 years, she was an executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, the world's largest international humanitarian agency. She became the 2003 World Food Prize laureate for her ground-breaking leadership there. Bertini was UN Under Secretary General for Management and the UN Security Coordinator. She led the US domestic nutrition programs as USDA assistant secretary for food and consumer services and the nation’s assistance program for single mothers at HHS. She was on the Board of International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD). Bertini was senior fellow on the first agriculture team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and served as a fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation. She is chair of the board of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and serves on the board of the Global Food Banking Network.
More information
Website – www.catherinebertini.com & www.thechicagocouncil.org
Twitter – @C_A_Bertini & @thechicagocouncil & @globalagdev
Facebook – globalagdev
LinkedIn - catherinebertini
Benedikt Bösel
Founder & CEO, Gut&Bösel
Benedikt Bösel
Founder & CEO, Gut&Bösel
Benedikt Bösel is founder and CEO of Gut&Bösel near Berlin. Benedikt and his team are implementing different forms of regenerative agriculture like syntropic agroforestry, holistic grazing, market gardening and different composting methodologies on his estate that is characterized by extremely low precipitation and sandy soil. The estate also ties in startups and technology to combine both worlds.
Benedikt is engaged and sits in various boards of initiatives around the future of land use and rural development. For instance, he sits on the board of Soil Alliance - an association of Regenerative Agriculture as well as is part of the Advisory Board of Digitalisation of Agriculture for the Ministry of Food & Agriculture in Germany.
Qu Dongyu
Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Qu Dongyu
Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Qu Dongyu, who took office on 1 August 2019 as Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has spent his life working on how to make sure the world is fed.
Born in 1963 to a rice-growing family in China’s Hunan Province, Qu studied horticultural science at Hunan Agricultural University and then plant breeding and genetics at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He later added environmental science to his knowledge portfolio while earning a PhD at Wageningen University, in the Netherlands.
He then progressed through a range of national and international activities, engaged simultaneously in science and management, all during a time when China’s reform and opening-up process led the country to dramatically reduce poverty and hunger.
His vision is founded on the belief that freedom from hunger is a basic human right, and that in the 21st century we have the capability to eradicate chronic food insecurity. While challenges loom, Qu’s cardinal principle is that “problems can also be the source of progress”.
Before coming to FAO, Qu served as China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, where one of his achievements was to promote inclusive and innovative development and make sure information and communication technologies (ICT) were available in rural areas so that more than 400 million farmers could use their smartphones as a new farming tool.
That vision has been consistent across a professional career that includes periods in central and local government, in and leading research institutes, and as a human resources leader at the China Three Gorges Project Development Corporation, a $40 billion investment project.
Qu has for 30 years been involved in international exchanges and orchestrated major events including the World Potato Congress, the International Rice Congress and the International Conference on Plant Protection, and participated in multilateral initiatives such as the World Trade Organization and the G20 as well as numerous bilateral initiatives involving Asia, Africa and Latin America. He has also directly helped design flagship South-South Cooperation projects with FAO and the World Bank.
His motto is “Simple life, but not simple work”.
More information
Website – www.fao.org
Twitter – @FAODG
Facebook – UNFAO
LinkedIn – company/fao
Shenggen Fan
Chair Professor and Dean, Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, China Agricultural University
Shenggen Fan
Chair Professor and Dean, Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, China Agricultural University
Dr. Shenggen Fan is currently Chair Professor and Dean of Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy (AGFEP) at China Agricultural University (CAU). Prior to joining CAU, Dr. Fan served as director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) from 2009 to 2019.
He currently serves as a member of the United Nations’ Lead Group for the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. He was a member, vice chair and chair of food and nutrition council of the World Economic Forum.
He is a Fellow of Agricultural and Applied Economics Association(AAEA), and a Honorary Life Member, International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).
Dr. Fan received a PhD in applied economics from the University of Minnesota and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Nanjing Agricultural University in China.
Erik Fyrwald
Chief Executive Officer, Syngenta Group
Erik Fyrwald
Chief Executive Officer, Syngenta Group
Before joining Syngenta in June 2016, Erik Fyrwald was Chief Executive Officer of Univar, a leading distributor of chemistry products and services (2012–2016); President of Ecolab, a global provider of water and hygiene technologies (2011–2012); and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nalco, a leading water treatment company (2008–2011). He served as group vice president of the agriculture and nutrition division of DuPont (2003–2008) and general manager of DuPont’s nutrition and health business (2000–2003).
Erik serves on the boards of directors of Syngenta, Eli Lilly, Bunge, CropLife International, the UN World Food Program Farm to Market Initiative, and is Chairman of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Seeing the devastating impacts of weather extremes around the world and given his love of nature, Erik is passionate about climate change. He regularly speaks about how critical it is that industries, governments, NGOs, academia and media collaborate to drive climate action. He strongly believes that agriculture can be part to the solution by working with farmers to use safe modern technologies and best agronomic practices to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in the soil and enhance biodiversity.
Lawrence Haddad
Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Lawrence Haddad
Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Dr. Lawrence Haddad became GAIN’s Executive Director in October 2016. Prior to joining, he was the founding co-chair and lead author of the Global Nutrition Report (GNR).
From 2004-2014 Lawrence was the Director of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), the world’s leading development studies institute, and prior to that, he was a research Director at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). He was the UK’s representative on the Steering Committee of the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) of the UN’s Committee on Food Security (CSF) from 2009-2010. He is an economist and completed his PhD in Food Research at Stanford University in 1988.
In 2018, Lawrence was awarded the World Food Prize for his: “relentless leadership and advocacy in mobilizing political will to make nutrition the focal point of development strategies.”
More information
Website – www.gainhealth.org
Twitter – @l_haddad
LinkedIn - lawrence-haddad-5809b916b
Marion Jansen
Director, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
Marion Jansen
Director, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
Marion Jansen is the Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate at the OECD. She previously held senior positions in the World Trade Organization, the International Labour Office and the International Trade Centre. In these roles, she has provided support to trade negotiations and to WTO dispute settlement. She has represented different organizations at the G7 and G20 level, led critical interagency collaborations and major interdisciplinary research networks.
Marion Jansen holds a PhD in economics from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona) and undergraduate degrees from the University of Konstanz, Toulouse and Passau. She has published widely on international trade and global economic governance and notably co-edited the volumes “Women Shaping Global Economic Governance” and “Shared Harvests: Agriculture, Trade and Employment”.
A German national, Marion Jansen grew up in the Netherlands. Next to German and Dutch, she speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish.
More information
Website – www.oecd.org/agriculture
Twitter – @MJansenEcon
LinkedIn – marion-jansen-585064146
Agnes Kalibata
President, AGRA and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit
Agnes Kalibata
President, AGRA and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit
Dr. Kalibata leads the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) efforts with public and private partners to drive a food secure and prosperous Africa through sustainable agricultural growth that improves the productivity and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers.
Prior to joining AGRA, Dr. Kalibata was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), where she drove programs that moved her country from a food insecure to a food secure status and became a reference point for other countries that sought to deliver agriculture transformation. She has recently been appointed by the UN Secretary-General as his Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit with a view to mobilizing global re-thinking of food systems to support the achievement of the global development goals. She sits on various boards, councils and commissions including the Global Commission on Adaptation; the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate; the Global Panel for Agriculture & Food Systems for Nutrition; the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP); the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum and; the Malabo-Montpellier Panel among others.
Dr. Kalibata was awarded the Yara Prize, now the Africa Food Prize, in 2012; an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liège, an Honorary Doctorate from MacGill University, Canada and the National Academy of Sciences’ Public Welfare Medal. She holds a doctorate in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
More information
Website – www.agra.org
Twitter – @AGRAAlliance
Facebook – africangreenrevolution
LinkedIn - agraalliance
Eva Keretic
Singer songwriter, climate speaker and future food advocate
Eva Keretic
Singer songwriter, climate speaker and future food advocate
Eva Keretic introduces herself in the following way; "If there’s one thing I’ve mastered in the half century of my life, it’s to embrace an experience and create a story. Whether it be in song, or speech, or trying to save the planet. There I was at my first meeting with politicians and managing directors, hoping to finance an innovative vertical farm facility run on 100% renewable energy, and they started off with the normal introduction round. Their lists were long and impressive and I kept panicking at how I would even begin explaining my right and imminent necessity to be there amongst them. I decided the best plan of action was to go with the true story. I mean I did write, produce and perform 6 albums of original music. I did believe in and follow my desire to express my life stories with music and share them with the world. While doing it all I actually thought I might add something insightful to the lives of others through my experiences. In the end I’m sure I did. Whether it was for many or a
chosen few I turned my life’s lessons and heartache into songs."
Her roles have included; Member Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Committee for innovation and research 2020-21 (Head of the Foodworks Initiave), Ambassador for the Farm/Food/Climate Challenge for Project Together 2020-21 (Open Social Innovation Hub Germany), TEDx speaker October 2020 (Kassel, Germany), Creative Director for the ALOHAS Eco-Center 2017-2019 (a fully sustainable food and beverage production facility) and Climate Reality Leader with Al Gore 2017.
She is also a singer/songwriter, composer, producer and she has released 6 albums. Her other roles include Managing Director and founder of "The Jamplan", agency for team building with songwriting and has composed various advertising songs as well as a children's English Learning CD. She was also Musical Director for the International Art Project "Many Children - One World" and her concert appearances include as a support act for Richard Marx, Vonda Shepard and Marius Müller-Westernhagen.
Brent Loken
Global Food Lead Scientist at WWF
Brent Loken
Global Food Lead Scientist at WWF
Brent Loken is the Global Food Lead Scientist for WWF. His work focuses on using food as a lever for improving planetary health through education, conservation and research. He has a broad and varied background including founding both a progressive international school and conservation NGO and research into topics ranging from food and health to orangutans and clouded leopards. His commitment to improving planetary health has resulted in some important contributions including rediscovering what was thought to be an extinct monkey species, helping to protect one of the most biologically rich forests on Borneo, educating a generation of environmentalists, co-authoring one of the most influential scientific publications on human health and environmental sustainability and raising global awareness to the critical importance of food system transformation in stopping climate change, reversing biodiversity loss, and restoring nature.
Rarely patient, Brent believes to achieve the SDGs and Paris Agreement in the short time that is available, it will be because of fast moving and innovative organizations and people that disrupt the status quo and actively show the world a better way.
More information
Website – www.wwf.org.uk
Twitter – @brentloken
Berry J. Marttin
Member of the Managing Board Rabobank Group
Berry J. Marttin
Member of the Managing Board Rabobank Group
Berry Marttin, born and raised in Brazil, is a member of the Managing Board of Rabobank. Over the course of his career at Rabobank, he has gained extensive experience as an international banker in both wholesale and retail banking working in various senior executive positions in Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Curacao and Brazil. Mr Marttin moved to the Netherlands in 2004 to become Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rabobank Amsterdam. As from 2009 he joined the Managing Board with special focus on Rabobank’s international Wholesale (ad interim) and Rural banking activities and further responsibilities including Leasing (DLL), Rabo Partnerships, Sustainability & Climate, F&A knowledge & networks and Rabobank Foundation.
His principal other activities outside Rabobank include serving as Member of the Supervisory Board of ARISE Invest and as President of the EACB (European Association of Co-operative Banks). Moreover, Mr Marttin serves as the first Chairman of the global Steering Committee of the Food Action Alliance, where World Economic Forum together with IFAD, WBCSD, CIAT, AfDB and Rabobank and over 20 global leaders unite to deploy large scale action through game changing initiatives for food systems transformation.
More information
Website – www.rabobank.com
Twitter – @BerryMarttin
LinkedIn - BerryMarttin
Carina Millstone
Executive Director, Feedback Global
Carina Millstone
Executive Director, Feedback Global
Carina’s career began in the business world working as a sustainability consultant for Environmental Resources Management, before she realised our planetary ecological crisis would not be solved in the corporate boardrooms in which it was created. She has since worked with several system change campaigning and movement building organisations, including Changing Markets in the UK and the New Economy Coalition in the US. A committed permaculturalist, she founded The Orchard Project, a charity working with community groups in cities across the UK to plant and nurture community orchards in public urban spaces. Carina has also been a Visiting Research Fellow of the Global Development and Environment Institute of Tufts University and is a Research Fellow of the Schumacher Institute. Her book, Frugal Value: Designing Business for a Crowded Planet (Routledge, 2017), provides a blueprint for organisations in an ecologically viable system of production and consumption.
More information
Website – www.feedbackglobal.org
Twitter – @feedbackorg
Facebook – @feedbackorg
LinkedIn – carina-millstone-a96203ab
Mai Thin Yu Mon
Indigenous Peoples Rights Activist from Myanmar
Mai Thin Yu Mon
Indigenous Peoples Rights Activist from Myanmar
Mai Thin Yu Mon is a young indigenous peoples rights activist since her bachelor studies and contributing to building the indigenous peoples’ youth network in the Asia region. She has been working with indigenous youths and indigenous women at grassroots level in Myanmar. She is also engaging with different government agencies regarding climate change in Myanmar, making efforts to ensure the respect and protection of indigenous peoples rights. She has also been promoting the role of women and young girls in decision making at different levels in indigenous communities. Being an advocate on indigenous peoples’ rights to land and natural resources, she has been actively trying to include indigenous youths and women for sustainable development goals 1, 5, 13 and 15.
She has actively been engaged with the advocacy and campaign on the indigenous peoples’ rights at the national, Asia regional and international level. Currently, she is the youth focal person of the Asia region to the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus. She is the Director of the Indigenous Peoples Development Program of the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), and executive member of the Myanmar Indigenous Peoples Network, which comprises 19 indigenous peoples' organizations in Myanmar. She is also representing indigenous youths to the Executive Council of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact ( AIPP ) which is working in 14 countries with 48 member organizations. She has been engaged in dialogue and negotiations with the ASEAN regional governments, particularly in Myanmar, on the cause of indigenous peoples’ rights. She has also been engaged as a resource person on the human rights and indigenous peoples’ rights, and the promotional works on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the national and Asia regional level.
She has been an active member of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Caucus during the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues sessions, particularly in 2016 and 2017, and attended as resource speakers to various side events. In 2016, she led the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus of delivering statement in the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. In January 2018, she contributed as an expert to the Expert Group Meeting on the sustainable development on the indigenous peoples land and territories that took place in New York, UN Headquarters in preparation for the 17th session of the UNPFII. She has actively been engaged with other international forum in relating to indigenous peoples issues and took part interactive dialogues, such as, other UN agencies - IFAD and FAO.
David Nabarro
Strategic Director, 4SD
David Nabarro
Strategic Director, 4SD
David Nabarro is the Co-Director of the Imperial College Institute of Global Health Innovation at the Imperial College London and supports systems leadership for sustainable development through his Switzerland based social enterprise 4SD. Furthermore, he is Advisor at the Global Commission on Adaptation in Rotterdam. He secured his medical qualification in 1974 and has worked in over 50 countries – in communities and hospitals, governments, civil society, universities, and in United Nations (UN) programs.
David worked for the British government in the 1990s as head of Health and Population and director for Human Development in the UK Department for International Development. From 1999 to 2017 he held leadership roles in the UN system on disease outbreaks and health issues, food insecurity and nutrition, climate change and sustainable development. In October 2018, David received the World Food Prize together with Lawrence Haddad for their leadership in raising the profile and building coalitions for action for better nutrition across the Sustainable Development Goals.
More information
Twitter – @davidnabarro
LinkedIn - davidnabarro
Vanessa Nakate
Climate justice activist
Vanessa Nakate
Climate justice activist
Vanessa Nakate, 24, is a climate activist from Uganda and founder of the Africa-based Rise Up Movement. She began striking for the climate in her home town of Kampala in January 2019, after witnessing droughts and flooding devastating communities in Uganda. She now campaigns internationally to highlight the impacts of climate change already playing out in Africa, as well as promoting key climate solutions such as educating girls.
In 2020, Vanessa was named a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as being listed one of the BBC's 100 Women of the year and the 100 most influential young Africans.
More information
Website – www.vanessanakate.com
Twitter – @vanessa_vash
Janez Potočnik
Chair ForumforAg and Chairman RISE Foundation
Janez Potočnik
Chair ForumforAg and Chairman RISE Foundation
Dr Janez Potočnik graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. After a successful career starting in 1989 in Slovenia as a researcher at the Institute of Economic Research, Director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (1994), he was appointed Head of the Negotiating Team for the Accession of Slovenia to the EU (1998). He was also Director of Government Office for European Affairs (2000), Minister Councillor at the Office of the Prime Minister (2001) and Minister responsible for European Affairs (2002). In 2004 he joined the European Commission, first as "shadow Commissioner for Enlargement and then as Commissioner responsible for Science and Research. In 2010 Dr Potočnik became Commissioner for Environment. His term ended in November 2014 and he was appointed as a Co-Chair of UN Environment International Resource Panel and was also appointed as a Chairman of The Forum for the Future of Agriculture and RISE Foundation and a Member of the European Policy Centre's Advisory Council. From April 2016 he is also the Partner in SYSTEMIQ.
More information
Twitter – @JanezPotocnik22
Facebook – potocnikjanez
LinkedIn - janez-potocnik-872470a7
Frans Timmermans
First Vice-President of the European Commission, European Commissioner for Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, Rule of...
Frans Timmermans
First Vice-President of the European Commission, European Commissioner for Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, Rule of Law & Charter of Fundamental Rights
Frans Timmermans is a Dutch politician and diplomat who currently serves as the First Vice-President of the European Commission and the European Commissioner for the portfolio of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, Rule of Law and Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Juncker Commission since November 2014. Timmermans previously worked in the Dutch Civil Service (1987–1998), as a member of the House of Representatives for the Labour Party (1998–2007; 2010–2012), as Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs charged with European Affairs (2007–2010) and as Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012–2014). 1995-1998 he served as a Senior Advisor and Private Secretary to the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the OSCE, Max van der Stoel and 1994-1995 as a staff member for EU Commissioner Hans van den Broek. In 1993 and 1994 Timmermans worked as deputy head of the Minister for Development Cooperation’s EC Affairs Section, 1990 and 1993 as the Deputy Secretary of the Dutch embassy in Moscow. 1987-1990 he served as Policy Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1984-1985 he had postgraduate courses in European Law and French Literature at the University of Nancy. 1980-1985 he achieved a degree in French language and literature, Radboud University Nijmegen.
Thomas J. Vilsack
United States Secretary of Agriculture
Thomas J. Vilsack
United States Secretary of Agriculture
Thomas J. Vilsack was confirmed as the 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture on Feb. 23, 2021 by the U.S. Senate. He was nominated by President Joe Biden to return to a role where he served for eight years under President Barack Obama.
As leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the 30th Secretary of Agriculture between 2009-2017, Vilsack worked hard to strengthen the American agricultural economy, build vibrant rural communities and create new markets for innovation in rural America. He fought to put Americans back to work by investing in rural infrastructure, renewable energy and large-scale conservation partnerships. Under his leadership, USDA supported America's farmers, ranchers and growers who drove the rural economy forward, set records for U.S. agricultural exports, provided food assistance to millions of Americans, and helped provide a safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply for the American people. USDA introduced healthier food choices in school meals to benefit 50 million children during Vilsack’s tenure and expanded free and reduced-price lunches for millions of kids.
Vilsack was the longest-serving member of President Obama’s original Cabinet. Prior to his appointment, he served two terms as the Governor of Iowa, served in the Iowa State Senate and as the mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and his law degree from Albany Law School in New York.
Prior to returning to USDA, he served as president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) from 2017 until February 2021. There, he provided strategic leadership and oversight of USDEC's global promotional and research activities, regulatory affairs and trade policy initiatives. In addition to his post at USDEC, he also served as a Strategic Advisor to Colorado State University’s food and water initiatives.
A native of Pittsburgh, Penn., Vilsack was born into an orphanage and adopted in 1951. After graduating from law school, Vilsack moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, his wife Christie’s hometown, where he practiced law. The Vilsacks have two adult sons and two daughters-in-law—Doug, married to Janet; and Jess, married to Kate. They have five grandchildren.
More information
Website – www.usda.gov
Twitter – @SecVilsack
Confirmed Moderators (in alphabetical order)
Mark Titterington
Co-Founder & Director, Forum for the Future of Agriculture
Mark Titterington
Co-Founder & Director, Forum for the Future of Agriculture
Mark has enjoyed a long career in the agri-food sector having previously worked at the United Nations and for Syngenta where he held a number of senior leadership positions in corporate affairs and business sustainability in the EAME region and globally. After leaving Syngenta in 2017, Mark became Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring and nurturing STEM skills in young people. Mark later became Head of Marketing and Public Affairs for Indigo Agriculture Europe GmbH. Mark is a co-founder and senior adviser to the Forum for the Future of Agriculture and a Senior Fellow at the Transatlantic Policy Network.
Stephen Sackur
Journalist
Stephen Sackur
Journalist
Stephen Sackur has been a journalist with BBC News since 1986. Since becoming presenter of HARDtalk in 2004, he has interviewed prominent international personalities, cultural figures, leaders and politicians from around the world. Before taking over on the BBC News Channel and BBC World flagship current affairs interview programme, he was based in Brussels for three years as the BBC's Europe Correspondent.
Agenda
Mar 23, 2021
09:00
-
17:00
(CET)
Agenda may be subject to change
09:00
-
09:15
(CET)
Introduction to FFA2021 Annual Conference
Welcome and introduction
Mark Titterington, Senior Adviser, Strategy & Partnerships, Forum for the Future of Agriculture
Janez Potočnik, Chair FFA2021 and Chairman RISE Foundation
09:15
-
10:00
(CET)
Session 1 - Renewing leadership within the food system
Keynote address and moderated discussion
Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Moderator: Stephen Sackur
10:00
-
11:00
(CET)
Networking and exhibition break
Join us in our virtual exhibition area or visit out online lounge to network with other delegates
11:00
-
12:30
(CET)
Session 2 – Making the food system climate resilient
Keynote address
Catherine Bertini, World Food Prize Laureate & Distinguished Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Moderated dialogue
Benedikt Bösel, CEO & Founder, Gut&Bösel
Erik Fyrwald, Chief Executive Officer, Syngenta Group and Chairman, Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture
Marion Jansen, Director, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
Carina Millstone, Executive Director, Feedback Global
Moderator: Stephen Sackur
Special address
Vanessa Nakate, Climate justice activist
Session closing
Mark Titterington, Senior Adviser, Strategy & Partnerships, Forum for the Future of Agriculture
12:30
-
13:30
(CET)
Networking lunch break
Join us in our virtual exhibition area or visit out online lounge to network with other delegates
13:30
-
15:00
(CET)
Session 3 – Healthy food for all at scale
Results of Youth Hackathon healthy food
Moderated dialogue
Shenggen Fan, Chair Professor and Dean, Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, China Agricultural University
Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist, WWF
Berry J. Marttin, Member of the Managing Board, Rabobank Group
Mai Thin Yu Mon, Indigenous Peoples Rights Activist, Myanmar
Moderator: Stephen Sackur
A road to a future food system
Eva Keretic, singer songwriter, climate speaker and future food advocate
Session closing
Mark Titterington, Senior Adviser, Strategy & Partnerships, Forum for the Future of Agriculture
15:00
-
15:40
(CET)
Networking and exhibition break
Join us in our virtual exhibition area or visit out online lounge to network with other delegates
15:40
-
16:00
(CET)
Session 4 – Learnings from COVID to build the food system transformation
Moderated dialogue
David Nabarro, Strategic Director, 4SD and Special Envoy on Covid-19 for the World Health Organization
Moderator: Stephen Sackur
16:00
-
16:45
(CET)
Towards global food system renewal
The US perspective
Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture
Connecting EU-UN closing interview
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, European Commission
Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit & President of AGRA
Moderator: Stephen Sackur
16:45
-
17:00
(CET)
Closing statement
Janez Potočnik, Chair FFA2021 and Chairman RISE Foundation
Mark Titterington, Senior Adviser, Strategy & Partnerships, Forum for the Future of Agriculture
In collaboration with
