POSTPONED - CGIAR Science Week
Innovation and partnerships for a food, nutrition, and climate secure-future.
This event has been postponed!
When humanity has faced its greatest challenges, science and innovation have provided solutions. Today, major and connected global challenges threaten the sustainability of food, land, and water systems, with the most vulnerable people and communities at greatest risk.
Recognizing the urgency of these challenges, CGIAR and the Kenyan Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) are convening the world’s leading scientists and decision-makers at the intersection of agriculture, climate, and health for an inaugural CGIAR Science Week. The gathering will inspire action and investment in sustainable food systems that nourish both people and the planet. With the new CGIAR research Portfolio being shaped to address the biggest challenges and opportunities of our time, this will be a key moment to shape and co-create the research and innovation agenda and to establish critical partnerships.
Drawing on CGIAR science and partnerships from around the world, the inaugural CGIAR Science Week brings together the community working for a food, nutrition, and climate secure future to:
- Hear from global leaders in research, policy, and development about how we can harness and scale science and innovation during our Plenary sessions.
- Co-create and contribute to the design of new CGIAR 2025-2030 programs during our Stakeholder Consultations.
- Discover the best of our science during an exciting program of Science Talks, Innovation Showcase, and Research Workshops.
- Experience game-changing innovations that are improving the lives of producers and consumers around the world in our Exhibition Area.
- Explore CGIAR and partner labs and research stations and see science in action during our field visits.
Crop Trust at CGIAR Science Week
Research Workshop: Not just cold storage - tapping the potential of the global genebank community
5 July 2024
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Session 1. Getting inside collections of diversity
Presentations:
- Turning genebanks inside out and the role of digital sequence information (Peter Wenzl, Leader Genetic Resources Program, CIAT)
- Genebanks Unplugged: Linking to Diverse Users (Head of Genetic Resources, Maarten van Zonneveld, WorldVeg)
- Responding to breeders (TBD)
Followed by a discussion with the audience, facilitated by Chris Jones.
4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.: Session 2. Creating a more sustainable Global Genebank System
Presentations:
- Cryopreservation Community in Latin America (Vania Azevedo, Leader of Program Bioversity for the Future, CIP)
- Capacity needs in Sub-Saharan Africa (Marie-Noelle Ndjiondjop, Head of Genetic Resources Unit, AfricaRice)
- Sharing benefits makes the world go round (Pierre du Plessis, Plant Treaty expert, Independent consultant) TBD
Followed by a discussion around the question "How do we achieve a more structured Global System?" and facilitated by Michael Halewood.
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Informal session. Scenarios of a digitized future for genebanks
- Geoff Hawtin (Retired, 2024 World Food Prize Winner, Virtual presentation)
- Ousmane Ndoye (Project Manager, CORAF)
- Sarada Krishnan (Director of Programs, Crop Trust)
- Dr Ravi Khetarpal (Executive Secretary, APAARI) TBD
Facilitated by Maarten van Zonneveld
Exhibition - Genebanks
1-5 July 2024
CGIAR’s 11 genebanks conserve unique collections of agrobiodiversity, including traditional varieties and forgotten species. They are the No.1 international distributor of healthy plant material to breeders, researchers and farmers. They use cutting-edge technology to help users find the necessary resources to make agriculture more resilient and sustainable.