Emerging Technologies for Global Food Security Conference Goes Truly Global With YouTube LIVE

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan--()--The Emerging Technologies for Global Food Security conference, with the theme Mobilization to the Developing World, will be available for global audiences to watch LIVE via YouTube, anywhere in the world.

This international conference will bring 300 scientists, policy makers and industry representatives from 25 countries to Saskatoon, to discuss how to move innovations in agricultural research quickly, not only to the developed world, but to the developing world as well, in as little as four years from lab bench to field. The conference takes place June 14-16, 2016 at the Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon, SK and is organized by the Global Institute for Food Security, in partnership with Ag-West Bio and the ABIC Foundation.

The conference livestream can be accessed at http://conference.gifs.ca/LIVE.

Dr. Maurice Moloney, Executive Director and CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security, says as the global population reaches 9 billion in the next 30 years, the question of how to feed everyone, everywhere, every day, becomes everyone’s business. “This is a global discussion, if there ever was one. At this conference we’ve deliberately brought together the world’s preeminent researchers, thinkers and policy makers on agriculture and the developing world to discuss the problem.”

Conference speakers include well-known scientists and representatives from developing countries, such as Ruth Oniang’o and Zeyaur Khan, as well as researchers and policy advisors, including Mark Lynas, Barbara Burlingame, and Sarah Gurr. Industry speakers include Neal Gutterson from Dupont Pioneer and Anne Roulin from Nestle SA.

On June 14th, the public is invited to join an IQ2 Oxford-style debate moderated by Rex Murphy on the question
Is biotechnology necessary to deliver food security to 9 billion people?

“We’re democratizing this conference so that even if you couldn’t make it to the conference – say you’re in an Ethiopian field or a lab in Norway – you can be part of what’s happening at Emerging Technologies; you can take in a panel session or hear a keynote speaker. This is one of those problems that we will need to work together to solve, and our aim is to start a truly global discussion here,” says Moloney.

Dr. Wilf Keller, president and CEO of Ag-West Bio, says this premier Emerging Technologies conference is an important step in developing the connections and conversations needed to find solutions to challenging issues. “This is indeed a ‘first world problem’; for myriad reasons we need to care about what is happening in the developing world and help where we can. Ag-West Bio is excited to collaborate with GIFS and the ABIC Foundation to offer this great conference, and for this to be the place where a meaningful global conversation takes root, and grows.”

For more information, please visit the event website | View the program

Information attached:
Speaker Profiles
About The Emerging Technologies Conference, GIFS, Ag-West Bio, ABIC Foundation

About the conference:

Emerging Technology for Global Food Security: Mobilization to the Developing World

June 14-16, 2016
Delta Bessborough Hotel
Saskatoon, SK

This international conference will feature 10 plenary speakers and 30 session speakers. Topics include new technologies, biodiversity, food security, sustainability, soil health, nutritional quality, collaborations and more.

An IQ2 Oxford-style debate, moderated by Rex Murphy, will tackle the topic: “Is biotech necessary to deliver food security to nine billion people?” with Mark Lynas, Jennifer Thomson, Barbara Burlingame and Peter Langridge serving as panelists. The debate will be open to the public. http://conference.gifs.ca/

The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) facilitates research that will result in much needed technological, economic, nutritional, and environmental improvements to food supply to help tackle the problem of food security both at home and around the world. Located at the University of Saskatchewan, GIFS was established in December 2012 through the collaboration of its founding partners – PotashCorp, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), and works in areas of Seed Development and Biology, Root-Soil-Microbial Interactions, and Digital and Computational Agriculture. For more information, visit www.gifs.ca

Ag-West Bio is Saskatchewan’s bioscience industry association. The company bridges research and commercialization in Saskatchewan by linking early-stage bioscience companies with the resources they need to bring their ideas to life. Ag-West Bio is funded by Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Growing Forward 2, with support from Western Economic Diversification Canada and NRC-IRAP. www.agwest.sk.ca

ABIC Foundation ABIC™ is the premier global meeting which promotes innovation in bioscience to ensure sustainable food, feed, fibre and fuel security as the climate changes. 6,050 individuals from 68 countries and territories have attended ABIC conferences since 1996. ABIC 2016 will be held in Fargo, ND from September 18-21. www.abic.ca

Contacts

Global Institute for Food Security
Sara Alexander, 306-966-3704 or 306-250-9910
Director, Marketing & Stakeholder Relations
sara.alexander@gifs.ca
or
Ag-West Bio Inc.
Jackie Robin, 306-668-2656 or 306-229-0391
Communications Director
jackie.robin@agwest.sk.ca

Release Summary

Emerging Technology for Global Food Security- Mobilization to the Developing World - June 14-16, 2016 in Saskatoon, SK

Contacts

Global Institute for Food Security
Sara Alexander, 306-966-3704 or 306-250-9910
Director, Marketing & Stakeholder Relations
sara.alexander@gifs.ca
or
Ag-West Bio Inc.
Jackie Robin, 306-668-2656 or 306-229-0391
Communications Director
jackie.robin@agwest.sk.ca