Media Advisory - Rio+20: high-level event "Food for Life and Life for Food"

21 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro

A high-level discussion on Food for Life and the Life of Food  [2] organized by FAO  [3], IFAD  [4], WFP  [5], Bioversity International and the World Bank  [6] will include heads of state and government, high-level policy makers from countries and international organizations to discuss their experiences in working to reduce poverty and hunger and achieve environmental sustainability. The event will be moderated by Dr David Nabarro, Coordinator of the High-Level Task Force on Food and Nutrition. The speakers will be invited to share their experiences, views and recommendations for solutions. Journalists are welcome to attend.
 
Confirmed speakers and panelists include:

• Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General UN;
• José Graziano da Silva, Director-General FAO;
• Nicholas Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister UK;
• Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia;
• Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Niger;
• Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, WFP;
• Emile Frison  [7], Director-General, Bioversity;
• Heikki Holmås, Minister of Development Norway;
• Paul Polman, CEO Unilever;
• representatives from the World Bank, IFAD and others.

 Some of the topics that will trigger the discussions are:

• Access to food;
• Child undernutrition;
• Sustainable food systems;
• Smallholder agriculture;
• Reducing food losses and waste.

When: 21 June 2012, time 19:00-20:30
Where: Riocentro Room: T-4

Contacts:

Erwin Northoff (FAO)
+39-06-57053105
+39-348-2523616
 Erwin.northoff(at)fao.org  [8]

Jessica Thomas (IFAD)
+39-06-54592215
 j.thomas(at)ifad.org  [9]

Emilia Casella (WFP)
+39-06-65133854
+39-347-9450634
 Emilia.casella(at)wfp.org  [10]

Kirsten Khire (Bioversity International)
+39-06-61181
 k.khire(at)cgiar.org  [11]