Wallace Conference brings 170 participants together to transform food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean

• Twelve high level international speakers and the results of more than 100 research papers will be presented at the VIII edition of the Wallace Scientific Conference.

May 31, 2023. The eighth edition of the Wallace Scientific Conference organized by CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), will bring together participants from 20 countries around the world to discuss and establish sustainable, healthy and fair food systems in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

Since 2002 and in collaboration with different international partners, the Wallace Scientific Conference has positioned itself as a forum for the discussion of science and technology strategies for tropical agriculture, natural resources and biodiversity conservation in the tropics.

Organized to be held at CATIE's headquarters in Turrialba, Costa Rica, from May 31 to June 3, the conference will focus on six thematic sessions for the transformation of food systems: Impacts of land and water degradation in the face of climate change; strategies and innovation pathways for climate adaptation and mitigation actions; financing, investment and agribusiness; sustainable production and consumption patterns; equitable access to food; and governance for transformation.

Among the speakers were Erle Ellis, Professor of Geography and Environmental Systems at the University of Maryland, and Victoria Reyes-García, professor and researcher at the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain.

Other speakers include Cristina Zurbrigeen from Uruguay, who holds a PhD in Social Sciences from Eberhard University, and Bruce Campbell, senior advisor to the Global Adaptation Center and head of innovation at Clim-Eat, among others.

The thematic presentations will conclude with presentations by Jessica Fanzo, director and Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Global Food Policy and Ethics at Johns Hopkins University, followed by Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, executive director and president of the Global Environment Facility, and closing with Fabrice DeClerck, researcher for the Bioversity International e International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) alliance of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

Research carried out by institutions and specialists from Latin America and Europe will also be presented. To this end, an open call for abstracts was made to the public, which will be presented in oral and poster format during the three days of the conference.

"The conference not only seeks to discuss the current state of food systems and the solutions that should be applied to transform them and make them more resilient, sustainable and equitable, but will also seek to agree on a roadmap to guide the collective action of those who will participate in the conference," said Leida Mercado, director of CATIE's Research and Inclusive Green Development Division.

For more information you can access the official website: wallace.catie.ac.cr, there you can also find details about the speakers, scientific committee, among others.