Gianpiero Menza, Senior Partnerships & Innovative Finance Officer, Alliance/CGIAR; Gladys Morales, Senior Innovation Adviser, Change, Delivery and Innovation Unit (CDI) United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); Margot Angot, Coordination and Project Officer, UNDP Rome Center for Climate Action and Energy Transition; Celeste Righi Ricco, Researcher at Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) and co-founder at Change For Planet (TBC). Moderator Claudia Zaccari, Junior Analyst, Alliance/CGIAR.

The climate crisis is increasing the intensity and frequency of natural disasters, putting food production under strain. Over the last wo years, the food crisis has been further exacerbated by the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic, conflicts and rising production costs.
The combination of these factors has led to 828 million undernourished people in 2021, a new negative record that will lead to accelerated migration, destabilisation, and possible new conflicts.
The agri-food sector is part of the solution to the climate and food crisis, but it is necessary to support and tap into the power of research and innovation (R&I), to develop and implement new science-based technologies, and to make sure that these solutions are accessible to all, in order for this to happen.
Scientific research in agriculture and food systems plays a key role in innovation and market competition. Through the development of new products and services, it creates jobs, stimulates economic growth and provides concrete solutions for rural communities, youth and women, which increase productivity, enable greater environmental sustainability and contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda goals.