Ismahane Elouafe, Chief Scientist of the FAO, and Paulo Nussenzveig, Vice-Provost for Research and Innovation, at the signing of the partnership agreements — Photo: Personal Archive

by Michel Sitnik for the USP Journal

USP participated in the World Food Forum organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the theme “The Transformation of Agri-Food Systems Accelerates Climate Action“. The event took place in Rome, Italy, from October 16 to 20.

One of the focal points of the program was the Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation, featuring the participation of Paulo Nussenzveig, the Provost for Research and Innovation at USP. He represented the University with a presentation in the panel on research and innovation in middle and low-income countries. Nussenzveig also signed a letter of intent formalizing USP’s collaborations with FAO. The document outlines the use of scientific knowledge in developing improved methods in food production, aiming for a more equitable and environmentally sustainable approach.

During his speech at the partnership agreement signing ceremony, Nussenzveig emphasized that FAO reports highlight the need to increase food production by 50% by 2050 to sustain a population of 10 billion people. He commented that Brazil should play a prominent role in this challenge due to its favorable production conditions and its successful history of innovation and technology development in agriculture. “At USP, we understand that food security is a crucial issue for humanity, and Brazil, with the support of the University, has a leading role. The current administration has already established two centers focused on agriculture and one centered on the Amazon, demonstrating our unequivocal commitment,” he emphasized. Professors Thais Maria Ferreira de Souza Vieira and Silvia Helena Galvão de Miranda from the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (Esalq) at USP also participated in the forum.

According to Ismahane Elouafe, Chief Scientist of the FAO, it is necessary to produce more with less. “The proposal of the meeting is to discuss what we know, what we still don’t know, and where we stand in terms of science and innovation for the transformation of the global agri-food system. For this, we are bringing a diverse group of speakers, including policymakers, scientists, farmers, youth, and indigenous peoples, who possess important local knowledge. Agriculture contributes to the climate crisis, but at the same time, it is the sector that can help us overcome this crisis,” she explained.

Dozens of events were held discussing how science, technology, and innovation can be effective tools to end hunger and malnutrition while helping to mitigate, adapt, and increase the resilience of agri-food systems, which currently account for about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Watch the statement by Paulo Nussenzveig at the signing of the agreements.

(January, 18th)