Africa-Europe Science and Innovation Summit

Please find the online session link here
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86769303511?pwd=c09MYkQ5aHMyVG1Xai9uSjJTaXpyQT09

The EU-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (HLPD FNSSA) is currently pursuing a ten-year roadmap (2016-2026) with four priorities: (1) Sustainable intensification; (2) Agriculture and food systems for nutrition; (3) Expansion and improvement of agricultural trade and markets; and (4) A group of cross-cutting topics. The overall goal is to achieve agri-food systems that are more sustainable, deliver better nutrition, avoid undernutrition and obesity, reduce food losses and waste, adapt to and mitigate climate change, and create jobs for young people through place-based innovations, in both rural areas and in cities. How these challenges can be tackled and long-term improvements be achieved? The key factors for successful long-term agri-food transformation, with support of Research and Innovations are investments, cooperation and digital technologies. The actions on investments should target public-private partnership in R&I, better regulations and right incentives can provide benefits to the private sector, including place-based solutions and scaling-up opportunities as well as fostering local food markets and the export of high quality food products for income generation.

Establishment of a post-COVID-19 resilient cooperation in R&I should include a better forecast on food environment, food culture and household food choices which support healthy nutrition choices, and improved linkages between agri-food innovators and development cooperation EU/African Union (AU) Member States initiatives. It should be highlighted that the R&I support to the implementation of the FNSSA partnership under Horizon Europe will continue to help address priority areas to achieve food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture. Successful European models such as agri-food Living labs and Smart villages, which employ new digital technologies to local regional ecosystems, could serve as toolbox that should be replicated and adapted to the African conditions.