From October 13th to 19th, 2024, we attended the World Food Forum (WFF) organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome. The main focus of the event was on empowering young people in decision-making, innovation, and driving change in the agriculture sector.
During the forum, we visited several discussions on key topics such as water management, agriculture, innovations in food systems, and the need for sustainable development. These talks centred on how we can improve efficiency in agriculture and support sustainable practices both locally and globally.
One of the major themes was the role of young people in decision-making processes. Participants discussed how young professionals can contribute to innovation and the implementation of effective solutions in agriculture and aquaculture. Attending WFF provided us with valuable insights into global trends and challenges related to the development of agri-food systems and the involvement of youth in decision-making, research, and science.
In addition, we met with colleagues from the European Aquaculture Society (EAS), where we exchanged updates about recent developments in the field, including the establishment of a new movement/association, NOWA (Network of Women in Aquaculture). We also had the opportunity to meet Roman Diatka, the Czech Republic's permanent representative at FAO.
On the last day of our trip, we visited the University of Rome Tor Vergata. We had the chance to tour the Experimental Ecology and Aquaculture Laboratory (LESA) and meet with experts from the Department of Biology. During our visit, we discussed issues related to freshwater ecosystems and their protection, as well as marine systems. We also learned about their research in IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture) and made valuable connections for future collaboration.
