Recap from Global Food Talk: “Securing reliable and sustainable food systems through innovation and creativity”
In connection with UN’s World Innovation and Creativity Day, Food Nation hosted a Global Food Talk, on how creativity and innovation can accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food for all.
With the UN World Innovation and Creativity Day as a reference point, Food Nation on April 24th live-streamed a Global Food Talk to several hundred high-level stakeholders from around the world. Participants were enlightened and inspired with answers on how to foster an innovative and creative business environment and how to make sure finance supports innovation around the world.
Global Food Talk is a platform for conversations about the global challenges to food supply and sustainability and the knowledge and experience that must be brought into play to solve them.
The main question for the dialogue was how creativity and innovation can accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food for all, and the keynote speech was delivered by Mrs. Jamie Adams, Senior Advisor for International Affairs & US AIM for Climate Lead, US Department of Agriculture. Further, Mr. Jacob Jensen, Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries delivered opening remarks, where he shared Denmark’s ambitions and role in supporting the green transition of the agriculture and food system.
Watch a recording of the Global Food Talk here:
The global food supply is at a turning point
As issues related to climate change, population growth, geopolitical instability and reliance on natural resources continue to exist, the need for creative and innovative solutions to food and agricultural production is abundantly clear. The webinar highlighted innovative solutions, scalable actions, and partnerships for sustainable development from international stakeholders. It showed how innovative and creative solutions can be significant drivers towards securing a reliable and sustainable food supply worldwide.
In the first fireside talk, Ole Thonke, Undersecretary for Development Policy, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Michael Zöllner, Chief Sustainability Advisor, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), discussed how to ensure continuos innovation and development towards a more sustainable agriculture and food sector. Amongst other things, they both agreed on the need ramped up finance – along with knowledge sharing and collaboration.
In the second fireside talk, Birgitte Skadhauge, Vice President, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Carlsberg Group R&D and David Henstrom, CEO, Unibio Group, discussed how business drivers and innovative solution can accelerate the transition towards a more safe and reliable agri-food system for current and future generations. They both shared their in-depth knowledge about the concrete actions that their respective companies are taking at the moment in order to contribute with real innovation within the agri-food sector.
Mrs. Skadhauge concluded her participation by saying that companies that wish to innovate should follow their passion. Mr. Henstrom added that just starting an innovation proces is crucial – and that going for the perfect result in the first try is not important.
In Denmark, research, innovation, and solid public-private partnerships drive the green shift in food and agriculture. The close collaboration across the agriculture and food value chain creates a culture where sharing knowledge is key to advancing innovation. Watch the Global Food Talk to explore more about these insights and how to be part of the progress.