This century, food producers will face a complex challenge: grow enough food to help billions more people get the nutrition they need, all while mitigating carbon emissions, which contribute to climate change.

Solutions to these issues will be top of mind at the 2022 Future of Food Forum to be held on March 3 at the University of Florida. Hundreds of scientists, industry leaders and policymakers are expected to participate. This the second Future of Food Forum, with the first event held in January 2020.

Online registration is open until Feb. 28. Cost is $10 for students and $50 for all other attendees.

The forum will feature a keynote address from Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta Group and chairman of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture. Sessions will cover topics such as carbon neutrality in food production and packaging; ongoing research and international efforts to reduce food systems’ carbon footprints; local and statewide policymaking; and how students can participate in food systems science.

The Forum is hosted by the UF/IFAS Food Systems Institute, an interdisciplinary team of researchers whose work addresses the intersection of food systems, food security, nutrition, economics and environmental conservation.

“The goal of the forum is to bring together thought leaders from academia, the business world, the farming community and policymakers to discuss innovative ways to produce food that benefit consumers, farmers and the environment.” said Gbola Adesogan, director of the Food Systems Institute.

UF Senior Vice President Scott Angle, one of the Forum’s moderators and the leader of UF/IFAS, said food system solutions developed at land grant universities like UF can help people at home and around the world.

“This event advances a crucial international conversation on food production and climate change,” Angle said. “The answers to Florida’s problems are not found just in Florida.”

Visit the UF/IFAS Food Systems Institute website to learn about ongoing projects and impacts.

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