Agri4D 2023: Building resilient food systems in uncertain times
Online conference 26-28 September 2023
Organised by SLU Global at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the Swedish International Agriculture Network Initiative (SIANI), with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
The Agri4D conference aims to bridge science, policy and practice to create a real-world impact on global food systems to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger. It is free of charge for all participants.
All stakeholders, including researchers, practitioners, civil society, private sectors, and policy makers, are invited to join the conference to co-create solutions to build resilient food systems. You can engage in different ways, for example oral presentation, workshop, roundtable discussion and storytelling.
This conference will take stock of the current knowledge frontier, connect science to policymaking and practice and spark new collaborations among researchers, policymakers and practitioners who are working on the urgent issues of stressors and vulnerabilities within food systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
There are significant stressors due to climate change as well as loss of biodiversity and inequalities that have a negative impact on global food systems. On top of the societal and environmental crises, the recent challenges of Covid-19 and the growing energy crisis due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have added additional stress to many food systems, and have increased food insecurity among the poor, particularly in LMICs. Food system stressors are taking a toll on vulnerable groups who are often left out of decision-making, but are hit by the severe impacts of such crises.
The conference will be held online and address the current global situation in two different themes. It will be free of charge for all participants.
Agri4D 2023: Themes

Theme 1: Securing food and nutrition within planetary boundaries
This theme aims to bring forward discussions relating to all stages of food systems and their outcomes, from ecosystems supporting production, to the producers, consumers, including value chain and market actors, linking farmers to consumers.

Theme 2: Governance and rights in food systems: Leaving no one behind
In order to create sustainable and resilient food systems it is important to identify vulnerabilities and opportunities to prevent future risks and promote sustainable solutions. This theme emphasises topics that aim to answer ‘resilience for whom?’ within food systems. Marginalised groups in society are often impacted the most by food crises, but have unique opportunities for transforming those systems away from status quo. These groups vary across contexts but may include e.g. smallholder farmers, indigenous groups, marginalised genders, children and youth, etc.
Plenary keynote speakers
True Schedvin
Head of Global Sustainable Economic Development, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
Appolinaire Djikeng
Director General of ILRI and CGIAR, Senior Director of Livestock-Based Systems
Betty Kibaara
Director in the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation, Africa Region Office
Seema Kulkarni
National Facilitation Team member of Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch (MAKAAM) Forum for women farmers' rights
Wangu Mutua
Deputy Regional Director at Vi Agroforestry
More information about plenary keynote speakers will come...