International Dairy Federation’s Post

Despite facing significant challenges, women entrepreneurs are driving positive change and shaping a more sustainable #FoodSystem and future for all. 🌱 We are proud to support and empower women entrepreneurs through our programmes and initiatives. From the Empowering Women in Agrifood (#EWA) Programme to the EIT Food Accelerator Network, EIT Food Seedbed Incubator, Team Up and including Supernovas, an initiative expanding beyond the sectors, we provide platforms for women to thrive, innovate, and succeed in the #agrifood sector. 🚀 Let us amplify the voices and achievements of innovative women and their remarkable contributions to the #FoodIndustry: Benjamina Bollag, CEO and Founder of Uncommon 🥩Revolutionising the meat industry with #CulturedProtein production. Laurie Lancee, Founder of Vini Mini 🍼 Preventing food allergies in infants through supplements. Ingrid Dynna, Co-founder and CEO at NoMy 🍄 Using fungal fermentation to transform food by-products into sustainable, high-value ingredients. Solveiga Pakštaitė, Founder and Director of Mimica 🏷️Creating the next generation of food expiry labeling that reduces #FoodWaste and improves #FoodSafety. Discover more top women in agrifood to watch 👉 https://lnkd.in/dkwP-vYg Who else would you add to the list? ✨ #ImprovingFoodTogether #FutureOfFood

Thank you Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge for the Feature; This is an article I wrote for WE4F highlighting the paradox of import dependency vs Localization in Africa in the face of fragile food systems and security and the role of homegrown youth-led & impact-driven businesses in creating more productive economies embedded with resilience. _ The following is a snapshot ; Egypt, and the African continent at large, have been chronically dependent on imports in essential pillars of the economy such as food production, which is a cornerstone to three of the biggest challenges of modern times: social prosperity, economic resilience, and ecological welfare. Food production, and specifically agriculture, is a whole microcosmos of its own that entails a plethora of products, knowledge, and processes. Unfortunately with the bulk majority being imported in the form of pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, technologies, and even scientific knowledge, we end up with an industry that is deeply fragile and volatile. Global shifts since 2020 to current times stand testament to how even the smallest economic shocks across the globe could jeopardize the food security of millions of people here in Africa, as the continent reels with weakening currencies, fragmented value chains, and minimal value-added output from local industries. A shift from import dependency to localization ensures that economies can evolve to be far more resilient against global shocks, as well as embrace the dynamic nature of developing and emerging markets to create new economic models. Furthermore localization, although a long journey of trial and error, will drive growth and development in peripheral pillars such as scientific research, STEM education, financial policies, and market regulations and processes – all in all creating superior economic models that are agile and resilient. Chitosan Egypt Chitosan•Egypt Agricultural Solutions شيتوزان•إيجيبت للحلول الزراعية ChitoLab - Research solutions #agriculture #organic #farming #food #climate #SDG #sustainability #biotechnology #innovation #chitosan #egypt #africa

🚀 In this new edition of "Innovation Led by Women" series, please meet Juliana Bueno, our R&D Director at #Olmix Latin America. She plays a pivotal role in developing #AnimalCare products using Brazilian raw materials such as yeast, sugar cane and soybean. 💡 "How do you see the role of women evolving in the agricultural industry, particularly at Olmix, in the years to come?" Juliana recognizes the growing involvement of women in #agriculture, bringing diverse perspectives and skills crucial for the industry's sustainability. Empowering women in key positions, as observed at Olmix, is essential for the continued progress and success of the agriculture sector worldwide. 🌍 "Why is International Women’s Day important to you personally and to Olmix as a company?" For Juliana and Olmix, this day symbolizes the evolution of women in the marketplace and underscores the significance of embracing a new model of leadership. Let's celebrate the achievements of women and commit to further empowering them in all aspects of our industry! 👩🔬 On the last image, meet the team working with Juliana: Bruno hipolito, Loraine Honorato De Farias, Danièle MARZIN, Franciane Figueiredo, Regiane Bardella, Renato B. #IWD2024 #WomensDay #JournéeDroitsFemme #innovation #GenderEquality

Greetings to all supporters of a Resilient and Sustainable Food System!! Today, we are thrilled to announce the launch of "Ethiopian Women for Agri-Food System Transformation," an online platform dedicated to uplifting the incredible contributions of both rural and urban women in our food value chain. 🌍🌽🍅 The Importance of Women's Role in the Food System 🍅🌽🌍 Women play a vital role in every aspect of the food system, from farm to table. In rural areas, they are at the forefront of agricultural production, responsible for planting, nurturing, harvesting crops, and household consumption that sustains our communities. Their knowledge, resilience, and dedication are the backbone of our agricultural sector. Meanwhile, in urban areas, women are actively engaged in various stages of the value chain, including processing, distribution, and marketing. Their entrepreneurial spirit and expertise contribute significantly to ensuring the availability of nutritious food options for consumers. 🤝💪 Supporting Women for a Resilient and Sustainable Future 💪🤝 At "Ethiopian Women for Agri-Food System Transformation," we firmly believe that supporting and empowering women in the food system will lead to a more resilient and sustainable food future. By providing them with the necessary resources, training, and opportunities, we can unleash their full potential and unlock a myriad of benefits for our society.   Through our platform, we aim to: 1. Amplify the voices of women in the food system, showcasing their success stories, challenges, and innovative solutions. 2. Foster knowledge exchange and learning opportunities to enhance their skills and expertise. 3. Facilitate networking and collaboration among women across the value chain, promoting a sense of community and shared aspirations. 4. Advocate for gender-inclusive policies and practices that recognize and value the vital role of women in the food system.   📣🌱 Join Us in the Journey 🌱📣   We invite all passionate individuals, organizations, and stakeholders who share our vision of a resilient and sustainable food system to join us on this exciting journey. Together, we can create an environment where rural and urban women thrive, empowering them to drive positive change and shape the future of our food system. Stay tuned for updates, inspiring stories, and opportunities to get involved. Let's celebrate the remarkable contributions of Ethiopian women in the Agri-food system and work towards a more sustainable and equitable future. 🌟🌍 Together, we can transform the food system 🌍🌟 #womenempowerment #ruralwomen #urbanwomen #foodsystemstransformation #agrifood #Ethiopianwomenforagrifoodtransformation

🚅 Coming back home after one thrilling day at CIHEAM Bari for the IFOAM Organics Europe Youth Event #OEYE2024 I am delighted to have opened and set the scene for the session on Food Democracy, where we have discussed the "titanic struggles" between the power structures in the food system (concentration) and the pressure to democratize it, between Consumerism and Food Citizenship. But what impressed me is the Ronald van Marlen from NaNa Bio BV speech. Some key points from his talk: 🌱 Food corporations dominate the shelves. Do not underestimate the dominant power of a few companies controlling the whole food system, as they create new narratives for their purposes. "Power works over idioms and words". 🌱 Organic movement was not meant to indulge the usual power structure, but to challenge it. "Organics without politics becomes boring". 🌱 Let's re-claim and re-design the story of the organic sector, recognizing the achievements (regulations, principles, etc.) but trying to include new challenges, e.g. more inclusiveness (color people, queer, low-income people, etc.). 🌱 The social media are the new field of battle. The real change will not pass through old-fashioned languages and reports. 🌱 Let’s develop organic and agroecology as gardens of hope. "We MUST have organic, it is not just a “nice to have". My presentation is available here: https://lnkd.in/dj2AHx7Y

🍎 We're thrilled to have actively participated once again at the Agrifood Forum 2023! Our esteemed colleague, Daniel Copot, contributed as a panelist in the engaging session titled "AgriTech Nexus: Harnessing Technology for a Food-Secure Future," skillfully moderated by our host Kristina Sermuksnyte-Alesiuniene. Alongside Daniel, we were privileged to share the panel with insightful industry and academia experts Vilma Atkočiūnienė PhD, Egle Vaiciukynaite, Gytis Junevičius and Gabriela Wurcel. 🌽 The world's population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, emphasizing the pressing need for innovation and disruptive technologies to ensure sustainable solutions, all while considering environmental and social implications. 🐓 One of the significant challenges we face is ensuring that small farmers have access to and can effectively utilize these advancements. Finding ways to support and empower them within this technological landscape is key to building a more resilient and inclusive agrifood industry. 🌱 Amidst the push for change in the agrifood industry, it's crucial to acknowledge and listen to the voices of farmers. Instead of solely advocating for change, we recognize the necessity of building trust by understanding their perspectives and needs. 🤝 We believe in the power of Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) services to facilitate this essential dialogue. These services offer a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing, allowing us to engage with farmers directly, understand their challenges, and co-create solutions tailored to their realities. Thank you AgriFood Lithuania for inviting us to exchange good practices, so we can transfer some of them to our EDIH DIGI-SI. #digitalization #agriculture #food #farmers #knowledgetransfer #smartvillages #smartcommunities #ruraldevelopment

We were proud to have Sothea Sam, Prajuna KC, and Abdul-Mumin Damba Tahidu attend the 2023 Concordia Annual Summit in NYC. Prajuna, our iDE Nepal country director, shared a few insights from the roundtable that she co-hosted with AB InBev: During this roundtable, participants highlighted suggestions concerning funding dynamics. Valuing Failures as Lessons: Participants proposed that funding organizations should consider both successes and failures as valuable, with failures providing a platform for learning and understanding the unique challenges in gender-focused agriculture projects. We even had a suggestion for a “Failure Summit”! Promoting Innovation & Agility: Acknowledging and learning from failures can foster innovation and agility in projects. It encourages risk-taking and quick adaptation without the fear of repercussions. If the above suggestions are played out in funding dynamics, it would pave the way for inclusive and adaptive initiatives for more gender-transformative work. #iDE #ChangeNotCharity #Concordia #Innovation #GESI #GenderEquity #Agility #Adaptation

Last week, our Managing Director, Pete Debus, shared with us an article that you might be interested in. The basis of it is as follows; There is a group in Switzerland called SAI Platform whose purpose is to harness the collaborative power of its members to accelerate the widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture practices and the transformation to sustainable food systems. The group is currently defining “regenerative agriculture” for members to use in their purchasing arrangements (or not). Interestingly, the SAI Platform is a group of 170 companies in the food and agribusiness supply chain.  They include Dupont, Fonterra, Heineken, Hershey, Kellogg’s, Louis Dreyfus, McCain, Mars, Saputo, Tate & Lyle, Nestle, Unilever, Barilla, Cargill, McDonald's, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Bayer and Dairy Australia (I don’t get out much, but I had heard of these). Australia has the 13th largest national economy on Earth, as measured in terms of nominal GDP.  Given the number of companies in this group with a turnover greater than $100 billion USD, these 170 companies probably have a combined turnover greater than Australia.   Now that’s a train coming down a tunnel… What do you think of this? Let us know in the comments. To read the full article, follow this link: https://lnkd.in/ey7r9Z8U