At VinFuture 2025 Science and Technology Week, the world's leading scientists will discuss innovations that can help humanity feed the planet sustainably.
The survival of mankind
The United Nations warns that more than 600 million people worldwide will face hunger by 2030 without drastic action. As the global population continues to grow to a projected 9.7 billion by 2050, the organization estimates that global food production will have to increase by 70%.
However, as an expert in researching the impact of global environmental change on biodiversity and tropical agroforestry systems, Prof. Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter from the University of Würzburg (Germany), a member of the VinFuture Prize Preliminary Jury and the European Academy, pointed out that the productivity of major crops is gradually becoming saturated or even declining with current farming methods.
Prof. Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter – Member of the VinFuture Preliminary Council – will chair the discussion session on the topic of agriculture during the VinFuture Science and Technology Week 2025. Photo: VFP.
He also stressed that despite being heavily impacted, agricultural production also contributes to climate change. "Current agricultural food production is causing serious damage to ecosystems and accelerating climate change. These consequences will be exacerbated as the global population grows and consumer habits change," said Professor Steffan-Dewenter.
This raises an urgent question: How can humans ensure food security while minimizing environmental impact?
According to Professor Steffan-Dewenter, feeding the planet sustainably will require a radical transformation, and the key to that innovation lies in science.
“Scientific innovations that reduce environmental impact and enable sustainable, climate-resilient and high-quality food production are of great significance,” he said.
The starting point for changes for the future of humanity
However, besides technological breakthroughs, this innovation needs to ensure fairness in access and benefits.
Dr. Nadia Radzman, Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge (UK), said that many agricultural innovations today are mainly developed in places with more resources and the main focus is on commodity crops.
“I think new innovations that have the potential to have a global impact have to be accessible, deployable even in low-resource settings, and applicable to local crop varieties,” she said.
Dr. Radzman is the founder of an early-stage agritech startup that leverages trait transfer in plants. She is currently leading the Broad 'n Mind project, a campaign to raise awareness of fava beans as an accessible and sustainable dietary supplement for mental health.
Dr. Nadia Radzman will bring practical experiences from her research and projects in the field of agriculture and food to this year's VinFuture Science and Technology Week. Photo: IE Cambridge.
Dr. Nadia Radzman will bring practical experiences from her research and projects in the field of agriculture and food to this year's VinFuture Science and Technology Week. Photo: IE Cambridge.
Coming to Vietnam to attend the VinFuture 2025 Science and Technology Week as a nominating partner who has made important contributions to the VinFuture Prize, Dr. Radzman hopes that the discussion will inspire impactful projects in the field of agricultural and food technology.
“I think the series of seminars organized by VinFuture provides an important platform for international scientists – who are researching in the same field – to exchange and share ideas,” she said.
At the seminar "Innovation in Agriculture and Food", taking place on December 3, together with Dr. Radzman, outstanding scientists of VinFuture will introduce innovative solutions in sustainable agriculture and livestock, including the application of genomic technology, microbiome, precision agriculture, AI and IoT to improve productivity, reduce chemicals and emissions, and enhance resilience to climate change.
As the moderator of the discussion, Professor Steffan-Dewenter sees this topic as vitally important, as food security forms the foundation for stable environmental and social systems.
Professor Steffan-Dewenter also assessed This is a great and exciting opportunity when the world's leading names gather in Hanoi to present new scientific achievements to a large public.
"I hope this will be a starting point for international cooperation, promoting interdisciplinary research projects to develop solutions to help build a transformative and sustainable agriculture, and strengthen food security in Vietnam as well as in the world," he shared.
Source: https://vtv.vn/cac-nha-scientists-leading-the-gioi-currently-raising-10-billion-people-in-the-2025-science-week-of-technology-cong-nghe-vinfuture-2025-100251127171321193.htm
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