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 three days of discussions on Friday at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on how to make cutting-edge technologies available to small-scale producers.

The third edition of SIF was held under the theme Inclusive Science and Innovation for Agrifood Systems Transformation, Leaving No One Behind. It brought together recognised scientists, innovation experts, and policymakers, as well as small-scale producers, Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, and the private sector, in a bid to encourage a diversity of perspectives based on science.

“Science, technology, and innovation are key accelerators of agrifood systems transformation, but they must be inclusive to ensure that the transition is just and equitable,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in his opening address to the forum.

As the world’s agrifood systems face growing challenges—including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, resource degradation, population growth, and changing diets—the potential of new technologies should be harnessed for developing solutions.
However, what is needed is to make these innovations impactful on a broader scale - so that all share the benefits equally and sustainably.

The forum also aimed to facilitate inclusive debate and showcase how science and innovation can be leveraged to transform agrifood systems. In Friday’s closing session, for instance, Costa Rica’s Agricultural Minister, Victor Carvajal Porras, offered insights about the real-world impact of inclusive agrifood innovations in his country.