Food Systems - FFA

Shari Rogge-Fidler, CEO of the Farm Foundation and a farmer herself, joins us to discuss the sentiment among U.S. farmers facing shifting policies and market uncertainties, the Foundation's priorities for the year, and the insights she hopes to bring back from her visit to Europe.

As the FAO celebrates its 80th anniversary, we speak with Viorel Gutu, Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, who took part in our Annual Conference on April 1. We discuss the resilience of agri-food systems in the face of conflict and climate change, and how stronger public-private cooperation can help address these challenges.

In this episode, we sit down with Tassos Haniotis, former Director at DG AGRI and Senior Guest Researcher at IIASA, and John Clarke, former Head of EU delegation to the WTO and the UN in Geneva,to explore the latest geopolitical shifts and their impact on global trade. We discuss what 2025 might hold for the rules-based order and how key policy developments could reshape international markets.

In this special episode, we talk with former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, who will be a keynote speaker at our Annual Conference on April 1. After two missions to the Hubble Telescope and four space walks to make critical repairs to the telescope, Mike explains how seeing the earth from space gave him a unique perspective on the fragility of the planet and a better understanding of its important role in keeping us alive and fed. He explains how growing food in space is a particular challenge, but he highlights that it demonstrates similar issues to growing food in areas of the world where resources, such as water, are limited. This is an inspiring discussion with someone who has experienced the awe and beauty of the planet from the frontier of space.

In this episode, we talk with Kathryn Bartlett, a soil scientist at Anglo-American, who is working on unpicking the interactions between polyhalite and soils. She explains the importance of building up this understanding of interactions to unlock new and innovative crop nutrient solutions as part of a global need to improve soil health/ performance that enhances crop nutrient use efficiency and land management practices. She also shares her special message on World Soil Day.

In this episode of the Food Systems Podcast, hosted by Mark Titterington, a panel of experts—John Baffes (World Bank Senior Agriculture Economist), Petr Havlik (Program Director at the International Institute for Applied Systems), and Tassos Haniotis (Special Advisor for Sustainable Productivity at the Forum's Advisory Council)—discuss critical challenges and opportunities in agriculture and food markets. The conversation focuses on the need for updated policies to address shifting dynamics caused by global shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and climate change.

In this episode, we talk with Stefania Avanzini, Director of One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B). Stefania discusses OP2B's mission to transform agriculture by enhancing soil health, promoting biodiversity, and advancing sustainable farming practices. She highlights the need for collaboration between agribusinesses, governments, and farmers to scale these efforts, emphasizing that while significant investments have been made, more unified action and political support are essential for achieving large-scale impact.

In this episode, we talk with Ann Tutwiler, Chair of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, former Director-General of Bioversity International and member of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture Advisory Council. Ann explains how she is convinced that agriculture must show that it is a system that is contributing towards the environment, improving nutrition and resilience to climate change, and also reducing the contribution of agriculture to greenhouse gas emissions.

In this episode, we talk with Jörg-Andreas Krüger, President of NABU. In the discussion, he talks about the new strategic partnership with the Forum and synergies and alignment of NABU's initiatives with the recently published Call to Action. Jörg-Andreas also highlights the need for a good agricultural system which has a good balance between the income for farmers, the production of good quality food and also the maintenance of ecosystems.

In this episode, Dr. Janez Potoćnik joins Mark Titterington in the new studio to share his reflections on the climate and biodiversity challenges and the current political environment. He also looks to the future for the development of new ideas and thinking that can provide the necessary solutions for the transformation of the agri-food system to one which is resilient, sustainable, nature positive and climate smart.

In this episode, we talk with Deanna Kovar, President of the Worldwide Agriculture and Turf Division at John Deere. In the discussion, she shares insights on how John Deere is leading the transformation in sustainable technologies, precision agriculture and digital innovation to drive change and promote sustainability in the agricultural machinery industry. 

In this episode, we talk with Jesús Antón, the Head of Unit in the Agriculture and Resource Policies Division at the OECD. Jesús leads initiatives on innovation and conducts agricultural policy  reviews using the OECD's productivity-sustainability-resilience framework. In our discussion, he shares insights from the OECD's latest publication, "Policies for the Future of Farming and Food in the European Union". 

In this episode we talk to Guy Ziv, Professor in Socio-Environmental Systems at the School of Geography, University of Leeds, and coordinator of the European Horizon project BESTMAP about this four-year programme which covers seven countries in the European Union and Serbia. The podcast comes just before Guy presents the latest BESTMAP findings at a ForumforAg and RISE Foundation event in February.

In this episode we talk to Alex Lissitsa, President of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club and CEO of IMC, about his current assessment of agriculture in Ukraine and the challenges being faced by growers in this very difficult time. The podcast was recorded following a roundtable discussion hosted by the Forum in Brussels which discussed a recovery plan for Ukraine.

In this episode we talk to Aidan Connolly, President of AgriTech Capital, about his recent book, The Future of Agriculture, which is a collection of essays reflecting the challenges and trends in a rapidly changing agriculture, from a pragmatic and practical perspective. He highlights the potential to make big leaps by embracing technology and discusses the drivers that will be important going forward.

This week we talk to Mónica Andrés Enríquez, Executive Vice President Europe, Yara, about regenerative agriculture and how to develop and scale it in Europe and globally. This has been a core focus of the Forum over the past twelve months and is a leading commitment within our Call to Action, culminating in the publication of our ‘Perceptions and Insights Report'.

In this special edition of the Food System Podcast, Mark Titterington discusses what the Forum has been doing over the last few months and looks ahead to the autumn and winter programme and discusses the plans for next year's Annual Conference with the Forum for the Future of Agriculture's Deputy and Programme Director, Emmanuelle Mikosz. 

In this edition of the Food Systems Podcast, we travel to the Australian Farm Institute's (AFI) mid-year conference and talk to Richard Heath, Executive Director of the Institute, about where he thinks Australian agriculture is on the journey to sustainability and discuss his key takeaways from the conference, which is focused on sustainability in agriculture including ESG goal setting and targets.

In this special 50th Food Systems podcast, recorded live at the recent Coceral webinar, Mark Titterington talks to Amer Badawi, Head of Charters & Operations, Supply Chain Division at the United Nations World Food Programme about why the grain trade is important in supporting food security. If you are interested in watching the full webinar including many other sessions it is available online at www.coceralevents.com.

Prior to our Regional Forum in Spain this week we publish our latest Food Systems podcast where we talk to Steve Statler, Chief Marketing Officer & ESG Lead at Wiliot - Interviewer, Speaker & Writer at the Mr. Beacon Podcast, who explains why food traceability has become important and shares his opinion on the role of FSMA and the implications for the agri-food industry, including farmers and ranchers. 

In this edition of the Food Systems Podcast, we talk to Máximo Torero, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), who explains that the agrifood system is facing significant challenges and highlights the need to transform to address climate change and other issues facing the agriculture sector.

In this episode Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, UN Messenger of Peace, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute talks about restoring our connection to nature. She also addresses how we can still create a sustainable future for all living beings on our planet, by taking action against climate change and biodiversity loss.

In this edition of the Food Systems Podcast, we talk to Geneviève Pons, CEO and Vice-Chair, Europe Jacques Delors, about the recently published paper on the geopolitics of the Green Deal and her thoughts on Europe's approach and the opportunity on projecting that globally.  

In this episode we talk with Janez Potočnik, Chair of ForumforAg and Chairman of the RISE Foundation; Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), on key takeaways on climate change and how to reverse the loss of biodiversity crucial meetings (COP27 in Egypt and COP15 in Canada); and key actions that different stakeholders could take to increase his confidence towards rising to the current challenges and what role is the #ForumforAg going to have this year and beyond.

In this episode we discuss with Shari Rogge-Fidler, President and CEO of the Farm Foundation, based in Chicago, USA, how she thinks agriculture could provide solutions to tackle climate change. As a farm owner and operator herself, she explains her thoughts on the position of farmers on this matter, and the role they are aiming to achieve, also at a political level. She also explains why the Farm Foundation recently joined with the Forum, AFI and CAPI, to launch the Global Forum for Farm Policy and Innovation (GFFPI).  

The Food Systems podcast is back! IIn this first episode of our new series we talk with Tassos Haniotis,  former AGRI Director and former AMIS Chair, about Ukraine and the extent to which that conflict has brought into focus some of the uncertainties that have impacted on agricultural markets since the late 2010s and the false dilemmas that Tassos has talked about in relation to the sustainability of agriculture. Is it a false dilemma that people have to choose between either food security or climate action? Find out in today's episode.

In this episode we talk with Jacob Hansen, Director General of Fertilizers Europe, about the impact the Ukraine conflict might have on fertilizer markets, the fertilizer price spike, whether organic fertilizers are the future, and how the industry will deal with increasing climate obligations such as those under the EU's new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. 

In this episode we talk with Brian Czech, Executive Director for the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy, about what a steady state economy means, where and whether it overlaps with circular economy thinking, and what its implementation might mean for the food system as a whole. 

In this episode we talk to Konstantinos Afianes, co-owners of the Afianes Vineyard, about producing natural wine, climate change, life on the Greek island of Ikaria, why the inhabitants live so long and so well, and his hopes for the future. 

In the first podcast of 2022 we talk to Galina Peycheva-Miteva, farmer and land manager in Bulgaria, and David Wilkinson, Vice President for Agricultural Procurement, PepsiCo Europe, about their views on regenerative agriculture, what it means in the field, and how digital tools interact with this set of practices. Is it plausible on fields across Europe, and can all farmers do it? PepsiCo is a Supporting Partner of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture.

In this episode we talk with Melissa Ho, Senior Vice President for Water and Food at WWF-US, about the major global summits this year, increasing droughts and agricultural management in the American West, whether payments systems for water are the future, as well as land management ideas for better water retention.    WWF is a Strategic Partner of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture. 

In this episode we talk with Alberto Arroyo, Head of Policy and Programs at the IUCN European Regional Office, about a recent report looking into different forms of more sustainable agriculture, what commonalities they share, how they can best be implemented, and whether there is low-hanging fruit that can be more easily achieved.    IUCN is a Strategic Partner of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture.   Read the IUCN report on sustainable agriculture here: https://www.iucn.org/news/europe/202006/sustainable-agriculture-explained   Listen to Ask a Harvard Professor on Food Waste here: https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2021/emily-broad-leib 

In this episode, we talk with Sébastien Treyer, Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development & International Relations (IDDRI), about a recent study on the shift towards agro-ecology across the EU. Sébastien also discusses the role of innovation & technology and how consumers will be key in transforming the food system.

In this episode we talk to Chris Harbourt, Global Head of Carbon at Indigo, about how carbon farming works in the field, how reliable the metrics and economics are, the timescale required to keep it in the ground, and how he sees the future of this developing sector.    Indigo is a supporting Friend of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture.

In this episode we talk with Ken Giller, Professor of Plant Production Systems at Wageningen University, about what regenerative agriculture means in practice, why it is having such a moment in the spotlight now, whether it could be applied in Africa, and what the boundaries of the system might be.    You can read Ken's paper here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0030727021998063   

In this episode we talk to Adele Jones, Deputy CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust, about true cost accounting, how it can help create clarity around food production and consumer choice, how it could be practically implemented, and whether the political will to implement it is present today.  You can read the article in Nature that Adele co-authored HERE. 

In this episode we talk to Mark Titterington, Co-Founder of the FFA and Senior Adviser, and Caroline Mahr, FFA Program Director, about the coming year of FFA, EU-US relations, the shift towards a sustainable food system, and their views on the most important policies coming up in the next twelve months. 

In this episode we talk to Matija Zulj, Founder and CEO of Agrivi, about his view on smart technologies in farming, their impact on the market and local communities, consumer confidence and traceability, and what he views as the most impactful technology in the coming five years.

In this episode we talk with Marc Rosiers, Managing Director of MR Food and Agriculture Consulting, about the position of farmers in the food chain, whether true pricing can ever be implemented, short supply chains, and his expectations of carbon farming. 

In this episode we talk with Jean-Marc Chappuis, deputy director of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, about the ongoing Swiss agricultural reform package, how the country supports land management in mountainous areas, and the Swiss goals for the UN Food System Summit. 

In this episode we talk with Patrick Worms, President of the European Agroforestry Federation, about the benefits of agroforestry, the threat it faces from climate change, how these systems are used around the world, and his expectations of both new EU policies and the UN Food System Summit. 

In this episode we talk with Amirul Islam, Operations Manager for South and Central Asia, Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development, about the impacts of Covid-19 and climate change on farming in the region, the difference between land tenure and ownership, his expectations for the UN Food System Summit and much more. 

In this episode we talk with Emile Frison, IPES FOOD panel member and UNFSS co-lead on the solution cluster on agroecology and regenerative agriculture, about his expectations for the UN Food System Summit, whether agroecology has advanced in recent years, and creating new food system policies. 

In this episode we talk with Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director of Natural Capital, DG Environment, European Commission, about the EU's new Biodiversity Strategy, his hopes for the UN Biodiversity Summit and the Common Agricultural Policy, tree planting, and where the money will come from.    Check out full videos of the FFA Portugal events at: https://www.forumforagriculture.com/ffa2021-videos/ 

In this episode with Bérénice Dupeux, Senior Policy Officer for Agriculture at the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), about withdrawing the CAP and how it should be structured instead; income support, climate change, the interaction with the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, and much more. 

In this episode we talk with António Amorim, Chairman and CEO of Corticeira Amorim, about the unique ecosystem of cork forests, the impact of climate change, sustainability passports for international trade, and the link between forests and health.    Registration for the FFA2021 Regional in Portugal, with four free events to choose from, is open now at https://www.forumforagriculture.com

In this episode we talk to David Cleary, Director for Agriculture at The Nature Conservancy, about the evolution of sustainability in international trade flows, how to improve agreements like Mercosur, and how to ensure that better practices are taken up along the full food chain.    The Nature Conservancy is a Strategic Partner of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture. 

In this episode we talk to Benedikt Bösel, a farmer east of Berlin and FFA2021 panellist, about his 'beyond farming' approach, structural inequalities in the food system, what changes he would like to see from the CAP, and the importance of scientific advice.   

 In this episode we talk with Emeritus Professor Allan Buckwell, Research Director at the RISE Foundation, about the current CAP reform, whether it is possible to scrap it, the interaction with the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Green Deal, his views on generational renewal and much more. 

In this episode we talk with Carina Millstone, Executive Director at Feedback Global, about the problems of the shareholder economy and how it drives a lack of sustainability, how to change the system, getting rid of supermarkets, and why we should politicise food much more. 

In this episode we talk with Samuel Masse, President of the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) and an organic wine grower, about the effects of the Farm to Fork Strategy on young farmers, the future of organic farming, and what his farm village needs to attract the next generation.