This October, IMPRESS’ coordinator Brijesh Tiwari from TEAGASC took the stage at the FoodTech 2024 Congress in Novi Sad, Serbia, organised by the Food Institute of Novi SAD (FINS), to share valuable insights on building sustainable food systems and updates on IMPRESS.
As a plenary speaker, Tiwari delivered a lecture titled “Missing Gaps to Establish Sustainable Food Systems”, emphasising the need for a holistic approach to food production, distribution, and consumption. He explained that current food systems are inefficient and unsustainable, with 9.2% of the global population experiencing chronic hunger in 2022.
Furthermore, food systems are a major contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. To create a sustainable food system, Tiwari noted the significance of tackling critical knowledge gaps, such as understanding the link between sustainability and resilience, identifying key stressors affecting food systems, and exploring emerging solutions. He also advocated for new metrics to measure resilience and stressed the importance of engaging all food system stakeholders.
The FoodTech 2024 Congress was a dynamic event that brought together 372 participants from 27 countries. With 90 lectures, 14 plenary talks, and 250 poster presentations, it sparked discussions on technology transfer, food regulations, and the future of food systems. A Food Fair, featuring 40 traditional food producers, added a flavourful twist to the event. Organised under the inspiring motto “Science today, technology tomorrow!”, the Congress aligned perfectly with IMPRESS’s mission to promote sustainable, resilient food systems for a brighter future.
