Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation

📍 FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy 

🗓️ 16–18 June 2025

As part of its 80th Anniversary celebrations, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is organizing a Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference under the theme “Biotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation.” The event will take place from 16 to 18 June 2025 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

This landmark conference will bring together global experts, decision-makers, researchers, private sector actors, and civil society to explore how biotechnologies—ranging from low-tech applications to advanced tools like genome editing and synthetic biology—can contribute to building agrifood systems that are efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

Key Objectives

• Showcase achievements, breakthroughs, and future directions in biotechnology and their transformative potential.
  
• Explore innovations—from low-tech tools to genome editing and synthetic biology—and their role in empowering small-scale producers, processors, traders, and retailers.
  
• Highlight best practices in integrating digital technologies such as AI and bioinformatics to advance biotech research and application.
  
• Discuss policy development for the safe, equitable, and responsible use of biotechnologies, addressing public trust and regulatory frameworks.
  
• Foster collaboration among policymakers, scientists, civil society, private sector, and international organizations to ensure no one is left behind in this transformation.
  

Expected Outcomes

• A revised FAO Statement on Biotechnology
  
• A renewed Call for Action to support the equitable and sustainable use of biotechnologies in agrifood systems
  
• Increased global awareness and shared understanding of the role of biotechnologies in food and agriculture
  

Who Should Attend?

• Government representatives and policymakers
  
• International and inter-governmental organizations
  
• Academia and research institutions
  
• Civil society and producer organizations
  
• Private sector actors, including philanthropic foundations
  

Conference Format

The event will feature:

• High-level plenary sessions
• Thematic technical sessions
• Interactive parallel and networking sessions
• Side events with innovative formats
  

🔗 Registeration and More Details

🕕 Deadline: 5 May 2025, 6 PM (Rome time)