Details of speakers and topics to be covered at the 2015 Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) have been unveiled. The three-day conference and exhibition will feature more than 300 next-generation agricultural solutions that will help shape the future of sustainable farming around the world.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, the second edition of GFIA is set to take place in Abu Dhabi from 9-11 March 2015, in strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA).

Since its launch in 2014, GFIA has received major attention for its commitment to challenging the way food is produced. Now, with the backing of 40 globally significant partners committed to using GFIA as a catalyst for change, GFIA 2015 will serve as one of the most influential events in the world for all those seeking to contribute to the sustainable agriculture movement. The event will feature prominent speakers from global companies and organisations including McCain Continental, World Bank, Rockefeller Foundation, Plantagon, and the Committee on World Food Security.

Ahead of the event, Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director of Communication & Community Service Division of ADFCA, said: “Our goal is to unite the Middle East behind sustainable solutions for food security and to harness new technologies for our desert landscape. GFIA is key to demonstrating the opportunities available to regional and international stakeholders. As you can see from our stellar line-up, GFIA is unique in that it attracts all the players from across the full food value chain that is needed to effect real change in the way we feed the world.”

GFIA 2015 centres on six main conferences that run in parallel at the event. More than 250 speakers in total will address a range of key issues critical to the future of global agriculture and food production in these streams:

Global Climate-Smart Agriculture Summit – driven by the UN Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture, a major survey of technologies, techniques and creative directions to devise and implement climate-smart food productions systems

Food losses & waste from prevention to valorisation – technologies, practices and policies to meet the challenges faced throughout the whole value chain

Edible Cities: Building Resilience with Urban Agriculture – innovations and technologies for Creating Sustainable Climate Smart Food systems in the world’s urban areas
ICT for Sustainable Agriculture – making the most of handheld computer power, big data and the connected world
Non-conventional Water Use in Arid Climates – Challenges And Opportunities in extraction and production of water, saltwater agriculture, and reuse

Innovation Programme – the world's greatest collection of creative and sustainable solutions to in sustainable agriculture. Following 450 submissions, the Steering Committee have picked the top 100 to appear at GFIA 2015; each presenter will have just 15 minutes to tell the audience why their innovation can help feed the world

Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi added: “Climate-smart food production is a critical factor for the UAE and other water-constrained parts of the world. We in Abu Dhabi are strongly committed to driving the global dialogue on food security and climate resilience and bringing together participants from the entire agricultural value-chain and this event reinforces that commitment.”

In addition to the conferences and the accompanying exhibition, the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture includes:

The NGO Pavilion – featuring NGOs, development agencies, and charitable foundations spearheading successful sustainable agriculture projects in Africa
The Incubator Zone – presenting the most creative and the most promising innovations from smaller entrepreneurs
Collaboration and Research Centre – showcasing 50+ research institutions
Funding and Investment Centre – bringing together providers of finance for everything from smallholder farmers to innovators seeking investment

GFIA is sponsored by the Food Security Centre – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Farmers Services Centre, Exeed Industries, and the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Organised with official support from the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, GFIA 2015 will include a keynote speech by His Excellency Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water.

Find out more about GFIA at www.innovationsinagriculture.com, join the LinkedIn group ‘Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture Network’, follow GFIA on twitter @GFIA2015, or visit the Future Agriculture web portal at www.FutureAgriculture.info. 

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