WFSC Public Lecture on Diversification in Food Systems
The WFSC is organizing a public lecture on 5 October at 17.30 in the ETH Zurich Main Building (HG E5). Keynote speaker Emile Frison will introduce the findings of the recently published IPES-Food report “From Uniformity to Diversity: A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems”.
Public Lecture - Beyond Organic: Diversification in Food Systems
5 October, 2016 | 17.30 – 19.00 | HG E5
For organizational reasons, we kindly request that you register external pagehere.
Download flyer Downloadhere (PDF, 286 KB).
Supplying sufficient high quality food to a growing global population is one of the key challenges of our time. Current food and farming systems, especially intensive high-input systems, are successful in delivering large volumes of food, however are increasingly questioned in regard to issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, farmer livelihoods, diet related diseases and persisting micronutrient deficiencies. There is a consensus that to address these challenges, both an advancement of existing farming practices as well as new approaches are needed. The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems dedicated its first thematic report to this topic. The report argues that building sustainable food systems requires a fundamental change, namely a shift towards diversified agroecological systems. The panel’s recommendations include developing new indicators for sustainable food systems, supporting alternative retail infrastructures, and shifting public support towards diversified agroecological production systems. Dr. Emile Frison will present the findings of the report, highlighting the recommendations and leverage points identified, as well as exploring the direction organic agriculture needs to develop in the future to align with this.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Emile Frison is a member of the external pageInternational Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) and was lead-author of the panel’s first thematic report “From Uniformity to Diversity: A paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems”. Emile received his MSc in Agricultural Sciences from the Catholic University of Louvain and his PhD in Agricultural Science from the University of Gembloux in Belgium. His areas of expertise include the conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity. He has a particular interest in sustainable food systems and the deployment of agricultural biodiversity to improve nutrition and the resilience and sustainability of agricultural systems. Emile worked in international agricultural research for development for most of his career. After working at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria, he held different positions at external pageBioversity International before he became the organization’s Director General from 2003-2013. He is currently the Chair of the International Scientific Committee on Sustainable Food Systems of the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation.