UN Sustainable Development Goals: A new momentum for European agriculture
Building on a rich seven year history of free and open debates on the future of agriculture, the annual Forum for Agriculture (FFA) was back in Brussels on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. The agenda focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals: A new momentum for European agriculture.
At FFA2015 speakers and panellists examined key issues for the future of EU agricultural production, environmental conservation and consumer’s well-being. International decision makers sought to uncover in their debates how to best reconcile crop production with ecological preservation, bringing inventive and stimulating solutions to the table.
Confirmed speakers (in alphabetical order)
Tim Breitmeyer
Deputy President of the Country Land & Business Association
Tim Breitmeyer
Deputy President of the Country Land & Business Association
John Clarke
Director of International Affairs, DG Agriculture & Rural Development, European Commission
John Clarke
Director of International Affairs, DG Agriculture & Rural Development, European Commission
Franz Fischler
Former President of the European Forum Alpbach
Franz Fischler
Former President of the European Forum Alpbach
Mella Frewen
Director General, FoodDrinkEurope
Mella Frewen
Director General, FoodDrinkEurope
Arun Gandhi
Agent of Change & Author, Total Nonviolence
Arun Gandhi
Agent of Change & Author, Total Nonviolence
Phil Hogan
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Phil Hogan
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Mikael Karlsson
President, European Environmental Bureau
Mikael Karlsson
President, European Environmental Bureau
Anne Krueger
Senior Research Professor, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies
Anne Krueger
Senior Research Professor, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies
Tony Long
Director, WWF European Policy Office
Tony Long
Director, WWF European Policy Office
Ricardo Sanchez Lopez
Director of Sustainable Food Security, Latin America Conservation Council
Ricardo Sanchez Lopez
Director of Sustainable Food Security, Latin America Conservation Council
Alan Matthews
Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy in the Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences...
Alan Matthews
Professor Emeritus of European Agricultural Policy in the Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Trinity College Dublin
Mairead McGuinness
Vice President, European Parliament
Mairead McGuinness
Vice President, European Parliament
Amina Mohammed
Special adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, United Nations.
Amina Mohammed
Special adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, United Nations.
Mike Muller
Commissioner, National Planning Commission, South Africa
Mike Muller
Commissioner, National Planning Commission, South Africa
Jon Parr
President Global Crop Protection and EAME, LATAM and APAC, Syngenta
Jon Parr
President Global Crop Protection and EAME, LATAM and APAC, Syngenta
Janez Potočnik
Chair ForumforAg and Chairman RISE Foundation
Janez Potočnik
Chair ForumforAg and Chairman RISE Foundation
Jeremy Rifkin
Founder and President, The Foundation on Economic Trends
Jeremy Rifkin
Founder and President, The Foundation on Economic Trends
Raed Safadi
Deputy Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
Raed Safadi
Deputy Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
Christopher Stopes
President, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements EU Group
Christopher Stopes
President, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements EU Group
Martin Stuchtey
Director, McKinsey Center for Business and Environment
Martin Stuchtey
Director, McKinsey Center for Business and Environment
Pavan Sukhdev
Founder-CEO, GIST Advisory
Pavan Sukhdev
Founder-CEO, GIST Advisory
Cass Sunstein
Professor, Harvard Law School, Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
Cass Sunstein
Professor, Harvard Law School, Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
Karmenu Vella
Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Karmenu Vella
Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Ren Wang
Assistant Director General of Agriculture & Consumer Protection Department, FAO
Ren Wang
Assistant Director General of Agriculture & Consumer Protection Department, FAO
Bob Young
Chief Economist & Deputy Executive Director, American Farm Bureau Federation
Bob Young
Chief Economist & Deputy Executive Director, American Farm Bureau Federation
Confirmed Moderators (in alphabetical order)
Matthew Dempsey
Journalist
Matthew Dempsey
Journalist
Matt Dempsey retired as Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal after 25 years in March 2013. He is Chairman of The Agricultural Trust, publishers of the Irish Farmers Journal and The Irish Field. He is also one of the foremost authorities on national and international agricultural policy and industry trends; his knowledge, critique and assessment of Government and EU policy is highly valued by the agri-food sector.
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 31, 2015
Opening
Opening statements and handover of chairmanship
• Franz Fischler, Chair FFA2008-2015
• Janez Potočnik, Chair FFA2015, Chairman Rise Foundation
Opening Address
Mother Earth and Gandhian Nonviolence
• Arun Gandhi, Agent of Change & Author, Total Nonviolence
Moderator: Stephen Sackur, Journalist
Session 1 - Food Security
Rethinking global food security and sustainable agriculture: from Europe to the World
Keynote addresses:
• Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
• Ren Wang, Assistant Director General of Agriculture & Consumer Protection Department, FAO
Panellists:
• Raed Safadi, Deputy Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
• Ricardo Sanchez Lopez, Director of Sustainable Food Security, Latin America Conservation Council
Questions & answers
Moderator: Stephen Sackur, Journalist
Coffee Break
Keynote Address
The Sustainable Development Goals in the post-2015 development era. Transforming agriculture and
food systems for ending poverty
• Amina Mohammed, Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, United Nations
Questions & answers
Moderator: Matthew Dempsey, journalist
Session 2: Environment
How to reconcile ecosystem services and environmental risk management in agriculture?
Keynote address:
• Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Panellists:
• Mella Frewen, Director General, FoodDrinkEurope
• Tim Breitmeyer, Vice President, Country Land and Business Association
• Mikael Karlsson, President, European Environmental Bureau
• Mike Muller, Commissioner, National Planning Commission, South Africa
Questions & answers
Moderator: Matthew Dempsey, Journalist
Lunch Break
Special Address
Agriculture in the Third Industrial Revolution
• Jeremy Rifkin, Founder and President, The Foundation on Economic Trends
Questions & answers
Moderator: Stephen Sackur, Journalist
Session 3: Innovation
Innovation for jobs and growth through circular economy in agriculture
Keynote address:
• Pavan Sukhdev, Founder-CEO, GIST Advisory
Respondent:
• Martin Stuchtey, Director, McKinsey Center for Business and Environment
Panellists:
• Cass Sunstein, Professor, Harvard Law School, Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
• Jon Parr, Chief Operating Officer, Syngenta
• Christopher Stopes, President, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements EU Group
• Johan Schnurer, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Questions & answers
Moderator: Stephen Sackur, Journalist
Coffee Break
Session 4: Trade
European competitiveness through international trade partnerships and global agricultural growth
Keynote address:
• Anne Krueger, Senior Research Professor, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies
Panellists:
• Frédéric Seppey, Chief Agriculture Negotiator and Director General, Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada
• John Clarke, Director of International Affairs, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
• Mairead McGuinness, Vice President, European Parliament
• Tony Long, Director, WWF European Policy Offce
• Alan Matthews, Professor Em. of European Agricultural Policy, Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin
• Bob Young, Chief Economist & Deputy Executive Director, American Farm Bureau Federation
Questions & answers
Moderator: Matthew Dempsey, Journalist
Closing
Closing statement
• Janez Potočnik, Chair FFA2015, Chairman Rise Foundation
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