Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge: Call for innovative solutions in the agri-food tech space

Are you an innovator driven to solve challenges in the agri-food sector? Are you, or anyone in your network, eager to meet leading industry players and scientific experts? Can you demonstrate how to transform food systems through the use and conservation of agrobiodiversity? If your answer is YES, submit your application to the Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge!

The Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge is seeking innovators driven by a passion for solving challenges in the agri-food sector by utilizing or conserving agrobiodiversity.

As part of the 2nd International Agrobiodiversity Congress, November 15-18, 2021, in Rome, the Agrobiodiversity Innovation Challenge will recognize new products, services, and best practices that can help farmers, consumers, and food companies increase production effectiveness, competitiveness, and resilience while conserving agrobiodiversity.

In an open innovation approach, the Innovation Challenge aims to: 

• Connect different actors motivated to improve global and community-based food systems
• Attract and support innovators to scale up their solutions through a long-term research and development collaboration with CGIAR and its partners 
• Identify innovators who could help advance research by sharing ideas and solutions 

Disruptive innovators will have an opportunity to pitch their solutions to transform food systems through the use and conservation of agrobiodiversity and to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The challenge will highlight leading innovations that are helping to use, conserve, and consume agrobiodiversity in ways that are better for people and for the environment.

Solutions should have the potential to:

• Boost food production, consumption, and nutritional security
• Promote women’s engagement, entrepreneurship, as well as youth-led exercises 
• Promote Public-Private-Partnerships to link formal and informal sectors for sustainable intensification leading to livelihood and environmental benefits