Belgium & U.S. Perspectives on Sustainable Agriculture | Science Diplomacy for Sustainability

Description

The Johns Hopkins Science Diplomacy Hub's "Belgium and U.S. Perspectives on Sustainable Agriculture | Science Diplomacy for Sustainability" was organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Belgium and Ghent University. The sustainable agriculture science diplomacy event features flash talks and panels with distinguished speakers from Belgium and the U.S.

Program

3 p.m. | Welcome: Peter Agre, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Ona Ambrozaite, Johns Hopkins Science Diplomacy Hub; and Michel Wallemacq, Embassy of Belgium

3:05 p.m. | Flash talks (10 minutes each): Policy and Academic Perspectives in Europe and the U.S.

Speakers:

• Katina Hanson | Acting Senior Adviser for Climate-Smart Commodities | Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Silke Boger | First Counsellor for Agriculture, Delegation of the E.U. to the U.S.
• Eline D'Haene | Counsellor for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Belgium | Talk: "How to Overcome Lock-Ins that (May) Prevent Us to Move Away from the Status Quo: The Belgian Experience in an E.U. Context of Green Deal"

3:45 p.m. | Panel: Beyond the U.S. and the E.U. | On the Global Road for Sustainability. Where We Are, Where We Should Be?

Moderator: Ricardo J. Salvador | Director and Senior Scientist, Food and Environment Program, Union of Concerned Scientists

Themes addressed:

• Growing need for fertilizers and pesticides in the E.U. and the U.S.
• Projection of chemical growth along with population growth
• Direct impact on the environment (soil depletion, water runoff, ecology), health, energy consumption, increased water scarcity, food loss
• What more should our government do? What contributions could academia bring?

4:10 p.m. | Coffee break

4:20 p.m. | Flash talks (10 minutes each): Implementation: How to Transition to More Sustainable Crops and Protection Plans?

Speakers:

• Prakash Hebbar | Trade Director, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture | Talk: "State of Cooperation E.U.–US. How to Transition to a More Sustainable Agriculture? Incentives to Change the Debate Towards a More Sustainable Approach"
• Ruben Savels | Doctoral Researcher, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium | Talk: "Unlocking the Potential of Agroecology: from Practice and Trends to Consistent Policy Developments in Belgium and the E.U."
• Thomas Jacobs | Expert Scientist, VIB–Ghent University Center for Plant Systems Biology | Title: "Link Between E.U. and U,S, Policies on Gene Editing" (TBC)
• Jocelyn Brown Hall | Director, Liaison Office for North America | Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

5 p.m. | Panel: Enhanced Transatlantic Cooperation on Practical Aspects and Development of Synergies

Themes addressed:

• Sharing of best practices and potential alternative solutions to common practices
• Reduction of fertilizers and pesticides through alternative models (agroecology, crop rotation, real-time monitoring, localized actions, bioengineered crops, micro-irrigation, artificial intelligence)
• Agriculture and politics

5:25 p.m. | Closing Remarks

5:30 p.m.| Refreshments and Networking