ACCELERATING VISION 2051 UAE AND EMPOWERING SDG 2030 AGENDA.

Virtual Address by SG Ban Ki Moon, Co-chair, Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens & 8th UN Secretary-General

Virtual Address by Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE

Mr. Elwaer, a national of Libya, holds a Ph.D. of Philosophy in Environmental Chemistry from Sheffield University,  the United Kingdom, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Organizational Leadership from the Gestalt Centre of Organizations and Systems Development in the United States, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and Science Technology from the University of Sabha in Libya. Mr. Elwaer served as Secretary of Environmental General Authority (Minister of Environment) of the Government of Libya in Tripoli and was elected President of the African Ministerial Congress on Environment (AMCEN) from 2004 to 2006. In 2007, he joined the African Union as Director for Human Resources, Science and Technology, and became Director for Administration and Human Resources Management in 2009.  During his career at the African Union (AU), Mr. Elwaer has supervised and managed the Establishment of several African unique initiatives and institutions. Prior to joining the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), he served as Adviser to the President on Global Advocacy and Partnerships at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he also served as the IsDB Spokesperson and Director of Cooperation, Partnerships, Regional Integration and Resource Mobilization from 2014 to 2017. He was further appointed IsDB’s Sherpa at G20 and Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs).

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE

Dr. Kalibata has served as the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since 2014. She leads the organization’s efforts with public and private partners to ensure a food secure and prosperous Africa through rapid, inclusive, sustainable agricultural growth, improving the productivity and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa.

Under Dr. Kalibata’s leadership, AGRA is working to increase the incomes and improve food security for 30 million farming households in 11 African countries by 2021 through targeted investments to strengthen 3 core areas: state capability and policies, input delivery systems in agriculture, and partnerships for inclusive agricultural growth.

From 2019-2021, Dr. Kalibata also served as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit. In this role, Dr. Kalibata worked with the United Nations system and key partners to provide leadership, guidance, and strategic direction for Summit, ensuring it successfully served as a catalytic process at the start of the Decade of Action to improve food systems around the world to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.

Prior to joining AGRA, Dr. Kalibata was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) from 2008 to 2014, where she drove programs that moved her country from a food insecure to a food secure status and became a reference point for other countries that sought to deliver agriculture transformation.

Dr. Kalibata also sits on various boards, councils and commissions including the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, the Global Panel for Agriculture & Food Systems for Nutrition, the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP), the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum, the Malabo-Montpellier Panel, and Africa Risk Capacity, among others.

Dr. Kalibata has a distinguished track record as an agricultural scientist, policy maker and thought leader. She was awarded the Yara Prize, now the Africa Food Prize, in 2012, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liège in 2018, an Honorary Doctorate from McGill Univeristy in 2019, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Public Welfare Medal in April, 2019 for her work to drive Africa’s agricultural transformation through modern sciences and effective policy thereby improving livelihoods of stallholder farmers. Dr. Kalibata holds a doctorate in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE Dr. Gunhild A. Stordalen, a physician who also holds a PhD in pathology/orthopedic surgery, and an environmentalist,  is the Founder and Executive Chair of EAT, a global, non-profit platform for food system transformation. She sits on several boards and advises on councils including the United Nation’s Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Lead Group, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Stewardship Board on Food Systems, the UNICEF’s Advisory Group, member of Africa Europe Women Leaders Network, and the international Advisory Board of the SRC. In addition, Gunhild is an ambassador for Friends of Ocean action, a member of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (HLP) for the Blue Economy, and a part of the International Leadership Committee for a Net Zero NHS. In 2019 she was the recipient of the UN Foundations’ Global Leadership Award. Gunhild is the Chair of the 2021 UN Food System Summit’s Action Track 2: Shifting to Healthy and Sustainable Consumption Patterns.  

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE

Enock Chikava is interim Director of the Agricultural Development Program at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Growth and Opportunity division. He leads the Agricultural Development team whose aim is to support country-led inclusive agricultural transformation across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, by developing and scaling products, services, policies, and system-wide innovations that benefit smallholder farmers, empower women, and improve nutrition.  

Enock, has more than 30 years’ experience in Agriculture, with a career spanning Farmer Organizations, Seed Industry; Agribusiness, Food Processing and now Philanthropy. Enock Chikava is former president of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA). Previously, he was Director Business Development, SSA, and Commercial Lead for a Seed, Chemistry, and Biotech for several MNCs. He studied Agricultural Economics, Marketing Management and Business Strategy.  He was born and raised on a small-scale farm in Zimbabwe and during his career in Agriculture, has worked with farmers and partners in 30+ countries in SSA and lived in Kenya, Malawi, Switzerland, and South Africa, before moving to the United States.

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE

Ismael Roig is president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, leading strategy and growth activities across the region. Ismael also oversees the company’s efforts to improve the efficiency and environmental footprint of its operations and is a member of ADM’s Executive Council.

Ismael joined ADM in 2004 and previously served as president, Strategy. He has also served as president, Asia-Pacific, and vice president, Planning and Business Development.

Prior to joining ADM, he spent 11 years with General Motors Corporation in various finance and control positions in Brazil, Singapore and Belgium. ‪He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Reading, UK, and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the Cranfield Institute of Technology, UK. He holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst® credential.

GOOD FOOD FOR ALL – FOOD AS A CONNECTOR FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE Paul Newnham is the Director of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub, a secretariat catalysing, convening, and connecting NGOs, advocacy groups, civil society, the private sector and UN agencies to coordinate global campaigning and advocacy to achieve food systems transformation.

To this end, the SDG2 Hub facilitates a network of 1000+ chefs from over 90 countries to support chef action on the SDGs. Chefs are equipped with a simple set of actions called the Chefs' Manifesto, to drive progress to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The Hub also lead the development of the Good Food For All Campaign that has been taken on by the UN Food System Summit to drive Public
Engagement.

Paul is a strategic innovator and executive leader with demonstrated expertise in driving teams, connecting people, sustainability and development, and delivering impressive global solutions to complex community challenges. He is a passionate and dynamic leader with twenty five [25]+ years of proven expertise in Sustainability, Food Systems, Non-Profit Management, Communications, Campaigning and Advocacy, delivered through consistent and competitive methodologies, strong network development, superior client service and executive presence.

His extensive knowledge of the Not-for-profit sector and vast experience in managing complex stakeholder relationships is complemented by his work with communities in Africa, Asia, The Middle East, Europe and The Americas. A skilled communicator, with a narrative that entices people to get on board, Paul starts movements that make global impact and change. He possesses strong business
acumen, and exceptional advocacy skills, with the ability to build deeply engaging relationships and influence decision makers, improve practices, drive change, and deliver impactful solutions to complex problems alongside communities around the world.

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Honourable (Hon) Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto graduated from the University of Ghana (Legon) with a Bachelors Degree in Agricultue. He also holds M.Sc. and PhD degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Cambridge, England. He worked as an Economist, Senior Economist, Principal Economist, and Chief Economic Advisor over a period of 18 years at the International Coffee Organization (ICO) in London, England. He has also worked as a consultant to the World Bank and the United Nations on Soft Commodities (Cocoa, Coffee, Sugar). Between 1995 and 2007, he was the CEO of two international commodity companies, Goldcrest Commodities Limited and Plantation Resources Limited both based in Ghana.

In 2008 he was elected to the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana. He spent two terms as Member of Parliament for Kwadaso Constituency in Kumasi, Ashanti Region. In Parliament, he held the positions of Deputy Ranking Member and subsequently the substantive Ranking Member for the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs until 2017.

In 2017 he was appointed the Minister for Food and Agriculture. In this role he has spearheaded the design and implementation of the Government of Ghana’s popular and transformational agricultural flagship programme, Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).

Under the leadership of Hon. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto Ghana has been transformed into the breadbasket of West Africa – moving from “not being on track” in 2017 to “being on track” in 2019 on the African Agriculture Transformation Scorecard (AATS). In that same year (2019), Ghana was ranked fourth on the African continent by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) in its Global Food Security Index (GFSI).

In February 2019, Africa Seeds which is the intergovernmental Seed Agency of the African Union, conferred on Dr Akoto the title of SEED CHAMPION OF AFRICA. Later the same year, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Inter African Coffee Organisation (IACO), a pan-African organisation promoting the interest of coffee producers on the continent; a term he finished serving in December 2020.

He is the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Specialised Ministerial Technical Council for Agriculture (CTMS Agric) and in June, this year was unanimously appointed Chairman of the Steering Committee for the newly established Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Dr. Ernest A. Umakhihe has over Thirty-One (32) years of working experience in various functions in the Public Service. He started his professional career in 1988 as an Accountant with the National Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) and rose to the position of Director Finance and Accounts in 2007.

He transferred his services to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in 2012 where he served as Deputy Director, Audit Monitoring Department. Dr. Umakhihe also served as Director, Finance and Accounts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he supervised the Finance and Accounts functions of the Headquarters and the Nigerian Diplomatic Missions Overseas.

His first posting as a Permanent Secretary was to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning in 2019, after which he was redeployed to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation as the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office. Thereafter, he was served as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works & Housing until 2020. He currently serves as the Permanent Secretary of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Chartered Institute of Administrators of Nigeria (CIAN) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe holds a PhD in International Diplomacy and conflict Resolutions from the Nasarawa State University, Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Benin and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the same University.

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Dr. Kalibata has served as the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since 2014. She leads the organization’s efforts with public and private partners to ensure a food secure and prosperous Africa through rapid, inclusive, sustainable agricultural growth, improving the productivity and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa.

Under Dr. Kalibata’s leadership, AGRA is working to increase the incomes and improve food security for 30 million farming households in 11 African countries by 2021 through targeted investments to strengthen 3 core areas: state capability and policies, input delivery systems in agriculture, and partnerships for inclusive agricultural growth.

From 2019-2021, Dr. Kalibata also served as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit. In this role, Dr. Kalibata worked with the United Nations system and key partners to provide leadership, guidance, and strategic direction for Summit, ensuring it successfully served as a catalytic process at the start of the Decade of Action to improve food systems around the world to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.

Prior to joining AGRA, Dr. Kalibata was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) from 2008 to 2014, where she drove programs that moved her country from a food insecure to a food secure status and became a reference point for other countries that sought to deliver agriculture transformation.

Dr. Kalibata also sits on various boards, councils and commissions including the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, the Global Panel for Agriculture & Food Systems for Nutrition, the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP), the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum, the Malabo-Montpellier Panel, and Africa Risk Capacity, among others.

Dr. Kalibata has a distinguished track record as an agricultural scientist, policy maker and thought leader. She was awarded the Yara Prize, now the Africa Food Prize, in 2012, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liège in 2018, an Honorary Doctorate from McGill Univeristy in 2019, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Public Welfare Medal in April, 2019 for her work to drive Africa’s agricultural transformation through modern sciences and effective policy thereby improving livelihoods of stallholder farmers. Dr. Kalibata holds a doctorate in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

AFRICA – AN AGRICULTURAL VISION MAP TO SUPPLY THE WORLD IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Dr. Kalibata has served as the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since 2014. She leads the organization’s efforts with public and private partners to ensure a food secure and prosperous Africa through rapid, inclusive, sustainable agricultural growth, improving the productivity and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Africa.

Under Dr. Kalibata’s leadership, AGRA is working to increase the incomes and improve food security for 30 million farming households in 11 African countries by 2021 through targeted investments to strengthen 3 core areas: state capability and policies, input delivery systems in agriculture, and partnerships for inclusive agricultural growth.

From 2019-2021, Dr. Kalibata also served as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit. In this role, Dr. Kalibata worked with the United Nations system and key partners to provide leadership, guidance, and strategic direction for Summit, ensuring it successfully served as a catalytic process at the start of the Decade of Action to improve food systems around the world to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.

Prior to joining AGRA, Dr. Kalibata was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) from 2008 to 2014, where she drove programs that moved her country from a food insecure to a food secure status and became a reference point for other countries that sought to deliver agriculture transformation.

Dr. Kalibata also sits on various boards, councils and commissions including the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, the Global Panel for Agriculture & Food Systems for Nutrition, the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program (GAFSP), the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum, the Malabo-Montpellier Panel, and Africa Risk Capacity, among others.

Dr. Kalibata has a distinguished track record as an agricultural scientist, policy maker and thought leader. She was awarded the Yara Prize, now the Africa Food Prize, in 2012, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Liège in 2018, an Honorary Doctorate from McGill Univeristy in 2019, and the National Academy of Sciences’ Public Welfare Medal in April, 2019 for her work to drive Africa’s agricultural transformation through modern sciences and effective policy thereby improving livelihoods of stallholder farmers. Dr. Kalibata holds a doctorate in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

FOOD FOR LIFE CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

NEXUS OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE, FINANCE AND TECH - THE POWER OF A DEEPLY CONNECTED GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM TO BUILD THE FUTURE OF FOOD

NEXUS OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE, FINANCE AND TECH - THE POWER OF A DEEPLY CONNECTED GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM TO BUILD THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Tomasz Telma, Senior Director, Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services at IFC, member of the World Bank Group.

a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Based in Washington DC,   he is responsible for managing IFC’s investment and advisory services in a broad range of sectors including agribusiness, manufacturing, health, education, tourism, retail and property. He leads a team responsible for over $5 billion of new investments annually and a portfolio of over $20 billion of investment and more than 100 advisory projects.

Tomasz has more than twenty-five years of experience leading investment transactions in emerging markets.  Immediately prior to his current assignment, he was IFC’s Director for Europe and Central Asia. In that role, he was responsible for the full range of IFC’s investment and advisory operations in that region. 

NEXUS OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE, FINANCE AND TECH - THE POWER OF A DEEPLY CONNECTED GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM TO BUILD THE FUTURE OF FOOD Mr Lim is appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Food Agency on 1st April 2019, statutory board established under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment to oversee food safety and security. SFA brings together food-related functions previously carried out by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Health Sciences Authority (HAS). Prior to assuming the post of CEO, SFA, Mr Lim was the CEO of AVA from 1st October 2017. AVA was the national authority entrusted with the mission to ensure a resilient supply of safe food, safeguard the health of animals, fish and plants, as well as facilitate Agri-trade for Singapore. Mr Lim joined AVA from the Singapore Police Force (SPF), where he held various key appointments including Deputy Commissioner of Police (Policy), Director Operations and Commander of Bedok Police Division.  

NEXUS OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE, FINANCE AND TECH - THE POWER OF A DEEPLY CONNECTED GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM TO BUILD THE FUTURE OF FOOD

FOOD VISION – BAHAMAS

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS - BUILDING RESILIENCE, TRANSPARENCY, TRACEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS - BUILDING RESILIENCE, TRANSPARENCY, TRACEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS - BUILDING RESILIENCE, TRANSPARENCY, TRACEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Deirdre has extensive experience in the food industry with a strong track record of driving impact through by embedding sustainability into business strategy.

In her role as Director of Quality Assurance and Origin Green at Bord Bia, Deirdre is responsible for driving the Origin Green ambition; that farms and food manufacturing businesses throughout Ireland sign up to the sustainability agenda, with progress independently measured, assessed and verified.  Origin Green plays a crucial role in driving continuous improvement across Ireland’s food and drink sector, with significant reductions achieved to date in carbon emissions on farm and in energy and water use in processing and manufacturing.  The ultimate aim of the programme is to safeguard Ireland’s global reputation and competitive advantage as a producer of quality sustainable food.

Prior to her appointment, Deirdre was Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland, where she led the development and implementation of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s sustainability strategy. From 2013 to 2015, as part of Bord Bia’s Origin Green Ambassador programme, Deirdre was responsible for building trade awareness globally for the sustainability credentials of Irish food and drink producers. 

Deirdre has also held positions with leading dairy exporter Ornua, Nestle Switzerland, and Metro Group, the world’s fourth largest retail group.

Deirdre holds an MSc in Business Sustainability and an MBS in International Business from UCD Smurfit Graduate School, and a Commerce International with Italian from University College Dublin.  She is also an Irish Olympian; she competed in the high jump at the London 2012 Olympics. Deirdre is also a board member on the Board of Sport Ireland since July 2021.

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS - BUILDING RESILIENCE, TRANSPARENCY, TRACEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS - BUILDING RESILIENCE, TRANSPARENCY, TRACEABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

FOOD FOR LIFE

FOOD FOR LIFE

FOOD FOR LIFE Leslie holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning for Developing Countries with emphasis on nutrition, food security and livelihoods from IUAV University of Venice, Italy. She has an Advanced Degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs with focus on development policies from the University of Bologna, Italy. Leslie has more than 16 years of international professional experience in nutrition, food security and food systems governance, policies, planning, programmes, advocacy, methodologies, technical issues, resource mobilization and partnerships with different actors. At country level, she has extensively worked in Ethiopia, the Gambia and Nicaragua, with focus on food and nutrition insecure and vulnerable households, children, gender, HIV/AIDS, community and rural development. She joined FAO Headquarters in Rome in 2007 where, for more than 13 years, she worked in the Food and Nutrition Division, covering technical, policy and programme roles. From October 2020, she works for the FAO’s Subregional Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen, in the UAE, where she is Programme Officer with a coordination role. She also leads the integration of the nutrition and healthy diets agenda and related agendas (e.g. food safety and food loss and waste) in the food systems activities of the GCC States.

FOOD FOR LIFE Jennifer Croes is a Conservation Scientist and Associate Director at Emirates Nature – WWF. She has successfully transitioned and reinvented herself to blend her extensive business strategy and management skills with conservation science and has recently turned her talents to being on-camera, producing and presenting wildlife and eco-tourism documentaries, to raise awareness and make conservation relevant in everyone’s lives.
A nomad, adventurer, and animal crusader, she took a leap of faith in 2005 to follow her passion for conservation and had an epiphany working in the Amazon Basin in Bolivia, rehabilitating wildlife
rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and pet markets. She is particularly interested in looking at the
link between human behaviour and our relationship to nature. She has a Master of Science, (MSc) in
Conservation Science from Imperial College, London and a double degree, Bachelor of Arts and
Commerce. Her conservation portfolio is extensive including, Project manager at an Orangutan
rehabilitation center in Borneo, leading the largest citizen- consultation process for the United
Nations COP 15 to combat Climate change, Earth Hour 2010 National Manager, Biodiversity
conservation consultant at WWF-Australia, working on various species’ rehabilitation and
preservation projects and campaigns.
Relocating to the United Arab Emirates in 2018 to work at Emirates Nature-WWF, she developed and
implemented the innovative Conservation Education and Leadership programme, ‘Connect with
Nature’, in collaboration with the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi (EAD), to inspire and motivate
youth to be part of the solution for long term, sustainable change.
In 2021, with a sudden diagnosis of breast cancer, she was instrumental in creating an awareness and
support group to support other women and has been vocal in bringing attention to this disease and
speaks of the role Nature and Food plays in recovery and living well. Leveraging of her own experience
and journey, resulted in creating and leading a new campaign, Food for Life, highlighting the need to
transition to healthy diets from sustainable food systems, focusing on personal health and planetary
wellbeing. In collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE), Ministry
of Health & Prevention, (MoHAP), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the aim is to
create mass mobilization and support the UAE’s vision towards building a healthy society and
sustainable ecosystems towards a green (and blue) recovery, in a post Covid-19 world.
Jennifer has extensive media and public speaking experience and is invited to speak at numerous
global events and science conferences on various conservation topics and make conservation science
fun and engaging and has presented and spoken at TEDx events. In 2017, she was the first female
granted access in Indonesia, to accompany and set up an Anti-poaching patrol team in Sumatra,
Indonesia. In addition to conservation consulting, she runs her own media production company,
producing documentaries and videos on conservation storytelling and engagement.
She has lived, studied, and worked in several countries in Europe and Southeast Asia, Africa, South
America, China, and New Zealand and has travelled the globe extensively. She is now based in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates and hopes to inspire all to be part of the solution for a sustainable tomorrow.

FOOD FOR LIFE

A FOOD-SECURE FUTURE FOR ALL: WHAT SUBOPTIMAL GROWING CONDITIONS CAN TEACH US

FUNDING AGTECH & FOODTECH INNOVATION – FUELLING YOUTH & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

FUNDING AGTECH & FOODTECH INNOVATION – FUELLING YOUTH & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

FUNDING AGTECH & FOODTECH INNOVATION – FUELLING YOUTH & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

She has over a decade’s experience in sustainability, climate change, clean energy, and organizational management. Having lead business development, strategic growth and communications at an international non-profit organisation for clean energy access, she combines her academic backgrounds in language studies and international development to enhance the impact of SDG-related projects, programmes and organisations.

Katrin has managed projects in Africa and Asia in partnership with UN agencies, the EU, and development agencies, where she put her focus on capacity building, market development and public-private dialogue, sustainability in agri-food value chains and in managing international knowledge exchange amongst experts in energy efficiency, energy regulation and international law.

FUNDING AGTECH & FOODTECH INNOVATION – FUELLING YOUTH & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT Eric Parkin is the Digital Leader at Cargill; where him and his team are focused on developing new technology solutions to help build a smarter, safer, and more sustainable food system.  Eric has had 15+ years in helping bring new technology across all parts of the world.  He has spent time based in Europe and North America, leading teams that have helped drive change in the industry.  

FUNDING AGTECH & FOODTECH INNOVATION – FUELLING YOUTH & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE

CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM THAT DELIVERS CLOSED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE FOR 24/7/365 FOOD PRODUCTION

CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM THAT DELIVERS CLOSED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE FOR 24/7/365 FOOD PRODUCTION

CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM THAT DELIVERS CLOSED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE FOR 24/7/365 FOOD PRODUCTION

CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM THAT DELIVERS CLOSED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE FOR 24/7/365 FOOD PRODUCTION

‘GOOD FOOD FOR NOW, GOOD FOOD FOR THE FUTURE’

‘GOOD FOOD FOR NOW, GOOD FOOD FOR THE FUTURE’ Paul Newnham is the Director of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub, a secretariat catalysing, convening, and connecting NGOs, advocacy groups, civil society, the private sector and UN agencies to coordinate global campaigning and advocacy to achieve food systems transformation.

To this end, the SDG2 Hub facilitates a network of 1000+ chefs from over 90 countries to support chef action on the SDGs. Chefs are equipped with a simple set of actions called the Chefs' Manifesto, to drive progress to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The Hub also lead the development of the Good Food For All Campaign that has been taken on by the UN Food System Summit to drive Public
Engagement.

Paul is a strategic innovator and executive leader with demonstrated expertise in driving teams, connecting people, sustainability and development, and delivering impressive global solutions to complex community challenges. He is a passionate and dynamic leader with twenty five [25]+ years of proven expertise in Sustainability, Food Systems, Non-Profit Management, Communications, Campaigning and Advocacy, delivered through consistent and competitive methodologies, strong network development, superior client service and executive presence.

His extensive knowledge of the Not-for-profit sector and vast experience in managing complex stakeholder relationships is complemented by his work with communities in Africa, Asia, The Middle East, Europe and The Americas. A skilled communicator, with a narrative that entices people to get on board, Paul starts movements that make global impact and change. He possesses strong business
acumen, and exceptional advocacy skills, with the ability to build deeply engaging relationships and influence decision makers, improve practices, drive change, and deliver impactful solutions to complex problems alongside communities around the world.

FOOD LOSS & WASTE REDUCTION – DRIVING STRINGENT POLICY FRAMEWORKS AND LEGAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES

FOOD LOSS & WASTE REDUCTION – DRIVING STRINGENT POLICY FRAMEWORKS AND LEGAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES

Deirdre has extensive experience in the food industry with a strong track record of driving impact through by embedding sustainability into business strategy.

In her role as Director of Quality Assurance and Origin Green at Bord Bia, Deirdre is responsible for driving the Origin Green ambition; that farms and food manufacturing businesses throughout Ireland sign up to the sustainability agenda, with progress independently measured, assessed and verified.  Origin Green plays a crucial role in driving continuous improvement across Ireland’s food and drink sector, with significant reductions achieved to date in carbon emissions on farm and in energy and water use in processing and manufacturing.  The ultimate aim of the programme is to safeguard Ireland’s global reputation and competitive advantage as a producer of quality sustainable food.

Prior to her appointment, Deirdre was Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland, where she led the development and implementation of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s sustainability strategy. From 2013 to 2015, as part of Bord Bia’s Origin Green Ambassador programme, Deirdre was responsible for building trade awareness globally for the sustainability credentials of Irish food and drink producers. 

Deirdre has also held positions with leading dairy exporter Ornua, Nestle Switzerland, and Metro Group, the world’s fourth largest retail group.

Deirdre holds an MSc in Business Sustainability and an MBS in International Business from UCD Smurfit Graduate School, and a Commerce International with Italian from University College Dublin.  She is also an Irish Olympian; she competed in the high jump at the London 2012 Olympics. Deirdre is also a board member on the Board of Sport Ireland since July 2021.

FOOD LOSS & WASTE REDUCTION – DRIVING STRINGENT POLICY FRAMEWORKS AND LEGAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES

FOOD LOSS & WASTE REDUCTION – DRIVING STRINGENT POLICY FRAMEWORKS AND LEGAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES

Tatiana Antonelli Abella is the Founder and Managing Director of Goumbook, a Social Enterprise dedicated to raising awareness among the local community on Sustainability and Green Living: launched in 2009 it was the first green information resource for the MENA region.

Goumbook is one of the oldest Social Enterprises in the UAE and today it manages different projects such as Sustainable Mena, a business directory dedicated to promoting sustainable products and services in the region; the Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program, the only tree planting initiative of the GCC with over 95,000 seeds planted in the past 10 years, and the Drop It - Rethink Plastic campaign to help businesses and individuals stop using single use plastic.

Tatiana sits on the Engage Committee, under Dubai Chamber of Commerce·V umbrella and has been nominated Environmental Ambassador for the Middle East Youth Expo. She also acts as an advisor to events such as Art Dubai or the Emirates Literature Festival to help them be more sustainable. Since 2012 she has been proud to be a judge of the Gulf Capital SME Awards fRU Whe ¶MRVW SXVWainable BXVineVV Rf Whe YeaU·. In 2020 Tatiana also joined the Advisory Board of the Gulf Sustainability Awards.

In April 2019 Tatiana started Forward Talks, a weekly podcast highlighting leaders and professionals who, through their work, entrepreneurship and commitment promote positive impact and sustainability in the UAE and beyond.

During her 16 years in the UAE, Tatiana has garnered a strong reputation and she is actively involved in the green arena: considered one of UAE's top environmental influencers, she contributes regularly to media and at conferences in her role as a green business leader in the country

DRIVING FOOD SECURITY WITH NUTRITION SECURITY

DRIVING FOOD SECURITY WITH NUTRITION SECURITY Dr. Gunhild A. Stordalen, a physician who also holds a PhD in pathology/orthopedic surgery, and an environmentalist,  is the Founder and Executive Chair of EAT, a global, non-profit platform for food system transformation. She sits on several boards and advises on councils including the United Nation’s Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Lead Group, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Stewardship Board on Food Systems, the UNICEF’s Advisory Group, member of Africa Europe Women Leaders Network, and the international Advisory Board of the SRC. In addition, Gunhild is an ambassador for Friends of Ocean action, a member of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (HLP) for the Blue Economy, and a part of the International Leadership Committee for a Net Zero NHS. In 2019 she was the recipient of the UN Foundations’ Global Leadership Award. Gunhild is the Chair of the 2021 UN Food System Summit’s Action Track 2: Shifting to Healthy and Sustainable Consumption Patterns.  

DRIVING FOOD SECURITY WITH NUTRITION SECURITY

Mr. André Laperrière joined the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN)initiative as its first Executive Director, in September 2015. During his career, Mr. Laperrièrehas led/managed numerous projects on behalf of large Private Corporations andsubsequently, within the United Nations and the World Bank. In this context he played asenior role in the design and the implementation of major reforms within a number ofagencies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the World Health Organization(WHO) and UNICEF. He has extensive work experience in the Americas, Caribbean, Africa,Europe and the Middle East, in particular in developing countries and in conflict/post conflictenvironments.

Before joining GODAN, Mr. Laperrière was Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the GlobalEnvironment Facility (GEF) in Washington DC. Among other positions, he has also been thefirst Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC),Director of the Administration and Finance Division in the World Health Organization (WHO),and Coordinator for reconstruction and rehabilitation activities under the responsibility ofUNICEF in Iraq.

Prior to his career in the UN, Mr. Laperrière was Director in the International Services ofPrice Waterhouse. In this position, he led multiple large scale business evaluations,privatizations, mergers and structural reform projects in Europe, Africa, the Americas andCaribbean. Mr. Laperrière was born in Canada, where he completed postgraduate studies inAdministration and in Industrial Relations. Mr. Laperrière is an expert in internationaldevelopment.

DRIVING FOOD SECURITY WITH NUTRITION SECURITY

DRIVING FOOD SECURITY WITH NUTRITION SECURITY

DRIVING FOOD SECURITY WITH NUTRITION SECURITY Paul Newnham is the Director of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub, a secretariat catalysing, convening, and connecting NGOs, advocacy groups, civil society, the private sector and UN agencies to coordinate global campaigning and advocacy to achieve food systems transformation.

To this end, the SDG2 Hub facilitates a network of 1000+ chefs from over 90 countries to support chef action on the SDGs. Chefs are equipped with a simple set of actions called the Chefs' Manifesto, to drive progress to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The Hub also lead the development of the Good Food For All Campaign that has been taken on by the UN Food System Summit to drive Public
Engagement.

Paul is a strategic innovator and executive leader with demonstrated expertise in driving teams, connecting people, sustainability and development, and delivering impressive global solutions to complex community challenges. He is a passionate and dynamic leader with twenty five [25]+ years of proven expertise in Sustainability, Food Systems, Non-Profit Management, Communications, Campaigning and Advocacy, delivered through consistent and competitive methodologies, strong network development, superior client service and executive presence.

His extensive knowledge of the Not-for-profit sector and vast experience in managing complex stakeholder relationships is complemented by his work with communities in Africa, Asia, The Middle East, Europe and The Americas. A skilled communicator, with a narrative that entices people to get on board, Paul starts movements that make global impact and change. He possesses strong business
acumen, and exceptional advocacy skills, with the ability to build deeply engaging relationships and influence decision makers, improve practices, drive change, and deliver impactful solutions to complex problems alongside communities around the world.

SMART FARMING IN CIRCULAR CARBON ECONOMY - SOLVING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES WITH AI & ROBOTICS

Mr. André Laperrière joined the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN)initiative as its first Executive Director, in September 2015. During his career, Mr. Laperrièrehas led/managed numerous projects on behalf of large Private Corporations andsubsequently, within the United Nations and the World Bank. In this context he played asenior role in the design and the implementation of major reforms within a number ofagencies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the World Health Organization(WHO) and UNICEF. He has extensive work experience in the Americas, Caribbean, Africa,Europe and the Middle East, in particular in developing countries and in conflict/post conflictenvironments.

Before joining GODAN, Mr. Laperrière was Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the GlobalEnvironment Facility (GEF) in Washington DC. Among other positions, he has also been thefirst Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC),Director of the Administration and Finance Division in the World Health Organization (WHO),and Coordinator for reconstruction and rehabilitation activities under the responsibility ofUNICEF in Iraq.

Prior to his career in the UN, Mr. Laperrière was Director in the International Services ofPrice Waterhouse. In this position, he led multiple large scale business evaluations,privatizations, mergers and structural reform projects in Europe, Africa, the Americas andCaribbean. Mr. Laperrière was born in Canada, where he completed postgraduate studies inAdministration and in Industrial Relations. Mr. Laperrière is an expert in internationaldevelopment.

SMART FARMING IN CIRCULAR CARBON ECONOMY - SOLVING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES WITH AI & ROBOTICS

SMART FARMING IN CIRCULAR CARBON ECONOMY - SOLVING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES WITH AI & ROBOTICS Mr. Sky Kurtz is the Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer of Pure Harvest Smart Farms and is a pioneer in the Agritech sector. Pure Harvest develops world-leading controlled-environment agriculture technologies to deliver the best quality fresh produce. The Company’s hybrid growing solutions provide precise climate and environmental controls, enabling increased productivity and reduced waste (including water, energy, time, & transport).

Since its inception, the Company has raised more than $270 million making the Company the second most funded startup in the Middle East in 2021, ranked by Forbes Middle East. In March 2021, Pure Harvest secured $60 million in growth funding to support regional expansion in a first-of-its-kind structured Sukuk financing solution.
Pure Harvest currently supplies premium quality, sustainably-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to key retailers and HORECA accounts across the UAE and is now expanding across the Gulf Region. Last year, the Company entered into a first-of-its-kind , multi-year offtake and retailer-integration partnership with The Sultan Centre (TSC) in Kuwait – creating a ‘farm center’ that will include edutainment, a retail farmers’ market, & an integrated café – emblematic of the Company’s innovative approach to delivering food security, water conservation, economic
diversification, and sustainability.

Prior to founding Pure Harvest, Mr. Kurtz Cofounded Vence – a wearable technology solution for animal protein farming that semi-automates rotational grazing, reinventing livestock management. Mr. Kurtz also served as a Senior Executive with Francisco Partners, a $24 billion tech investment firm based in California and an affiliate of Sequoia Capital, a world-leading venture investment firm. Mr. Kurtz invested in and served on the boards of numerous companies across many sectors, with annual turnover ranging from $25 million to $2 billion dollars.

Mr. Kurtz was awarded an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and holds a B.S. in Finance from the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and was named the Turken Family Outstanding Graduating Senior (valedictory honor).

SMART FARMING IN CIRCULAR CARBON ECONOMY - SOLVING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGES WITH AI & ROBOTICS