Foods from the past, foods of the future - Investing in neglected and under-utilized species for resilient and healthy food systems

13:30 – 15:00 CET

Agrobiodiversity is a strategic asset to fight food and nutrition insecurity, climate change and poverty. There are over 5,000 food crops, but global food systems continue to be dominated by only a few (rice, maize and wheat). While neglected and underutilized species (NUS) are at the margins of research and development, they are dominant in the knowledge of farmers and local communities.

Neglected and underutilized species are consumed almost exclusively in rural areas. Thanks to their higher nutrient values they are now booming and becoming trendy food items, particularly among health-conscious consumers.

Join us to talk about the potential of neglected and underutilized species for:

• improving nutrition through nutrition-sensitive agriculture and diversified sustainable healthy diets
• market opportunities and improved livelihoods and well-being of small scale producers, Indigenous Peoples and women
• develop a "new frontier" to look at all those who are left behind in the knowledge generation processes, conservation of biodiversity and in the governance of research.

Learn about five new guidelines on investing in NUS value chains, developed by IFAD and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, and innovative experiences from the Michelin starred international chef, Cristina Bowerman.

Moderator

• Jyotsna Puri - Director, Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division, IFAD

Panellists

• Carlo Fadda - Research Director at Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT
• Irish BaguilatAsian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
• Tunda Lepore, Red Maasai Sheep Presidium, Slow Food-IFAD partnership (Kenya)
• John Mulumba Wasswa - Plant Genetic Resources Centre, Curator Entebbe Botanic Gardens, National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)
• Cristina Bowerman - International Chef

Wrap-up

• Alessandro Meschinelli - Coordinator, Global Forum for Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR)