Key Takeaways:
- FAO and SFNV have signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on developing innovative solutions for global agrifood challenges.
- The partnership will focus on promoting healthy diets, reducing food loss, and utilizing Swiss expertise in innovation.
- The collaboration aims to introduce solutions that benefit marginalized communities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
- The signing event highlighted Swiss agrifood innovations, showcasing potential contributions to addressing global food challenges.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley (SFNV) have formalized their intention to collaborate on addressing global challenges in agrifood systems. The Letter of Intent was signed by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, SFNV Steering Committee President Marie-France Tschudin, and SFNV Chief Executive Officer Christina Senn-Jakobsen during an event at Agropole, a campus in Vaud, Switzerland.
This agreement aims to leverage Switzerland’s food innovation ecosystem to develop mechanisms that target the root causes of challenges within agrifood systems, with a particular focus on promoting healthy diets and improving nutrition.
Key Focus Areas of the FAO-SFNV Collaboration
The collaboration between FAO and SFNV will concentrate on several core areas designed to drive innovation and sustainable practices in agrifood systems:
- Innovative Solutions: The partnership will work on identifying, developing, refining, and scaling innovative solutions within agrifood systems. The goal is to enhance global access to healthy diets and ensure food safety.
- Healthy Diets and Nutrition: The focus will be on addressing global issues related to providing healthy diets for all, with special attention to nutrition for vulnerable populations, food safety, and reducing food loss and waste.
- Leveraging Swiss Expertise: Switzerland’s strengths in science, technology, innovation, and sustainability will be utilized to develop scalable solutions for global agrifood challenges.
- Promoting Inclusivity: The collaboration aims to introduce solutions that can be applied in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Efforts will be made to benefit marginalized groups, including family farmers, cooperatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Statements from Key Leaders
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted the significance of this partnership, stating, “This collaboration with Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley is an important step towards ensuring healthy diets and nutrition for all. By combining innovative solutions with Swiss expertise, we can address some of the pressing challenges facing global agrifood systems.”
Marie-France Tschudin, President of the SFNV Steering Committee, noted, “Collaboration between national and international actors is essential to future-proof our food systems. Partnering with FAO will help us build connections and scale solutions that address global nutrition challenges while supporting sustainable development and inclusivity.”
Showcasing Swiss Innovation
During the event, the FAO delegation and Swiss officials interacted with Swiss startups and SFNV Valley partners, including CleanGreens Solutions, Vivent Biosignals, and Ecorobotix. These companies presented their innovations in the agrifood sector, illustrating the potential of Swiss technology to contribute to global food security and sustainability efforts.
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