Bio-inputs for Sustainable Agriculture: Technological Development, Commercialization, and Adoption

August 29, 2022 | 15:00 h - 17:00 h

We cordially invite you to a public Zoom-Webinar including a panel discussion with speakers from Germany and Latin America.

Date & time: August 29, 2022, 15:00 -17:00 (CEST) 10:00-12:00 (GMT-3)

For participation please register via the following link: https://uni-bonn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EXbuTz5QTqWKwCH6HtDK1A

BACKGROUND:

Bio-inputs for agricultural production, such as those based on microbiome or microorganism, are often portrayed as promising technologies to reduce our reliance on fossil-based inputs and increase productivity while contributing to environmental sustainability (e.g. increased soil carbon sequestration, soil restoration, and reduced methane emissions from ruminants). Although bio-based inputs are usually featured in the debates about sustainable agriculture, adoption remains low, as farmers perceive them as short-lived and with a slower response velocity, when compared to their synthetic counterparts. However, with the development and implementation of national bioeconomy strategies and given the recent shocks to the global supply of fertilizers, we observe renewed interest in the topic by international organizations and policy-makers. In this webinar, we will bring together representatives from international organizations, public research agencies, the private sector, and academia to discuss the main challenges and opportunities for the development, commercialization, and adoption of bio-inputs for agricultural production.

AGENDA:

15:00 – 15:15 CEST: Welcome & Introduction

Jorge Sellare (ZEF, Germany)
Tilman Schachtsiek (Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), Germany)
Ingo Melchers (German-Brazilian Agricultural Policy Dialogue (APD), Brazil-Germany)

15:15 – 16:15 CEST: Panel presentations
Hugo Chavarría (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Costa Rica)
Elena Beyhaut (Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), Uruguay) (t.b.c.)
Gustavo Gonzalez (Indrasa Biotecnología, Argentina)
Daniel Vargas (Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Brasil)

16:15 – 16:35 CEST Panel debate
Here are some of the issues we will discuss with our panelists:

• What are the main types of bio-inputs and how do they contributed to sustainable agricultural production?
• Can bio-based inputs be used as effective substitutes for agrochemicals?
• What are the main challenges to produce and commercialize bio-based inputs?
• What kind of policies could lead to increased rates of adoption of bio-based inputs?
• Given the war in Ukraine and the shortage of synthetic fertilizers, what role does bio-inputs have for agricultural production in Latin America?

16:35 – 16:55 CEST Open Q&A

16:55 – 17:00 CEST Closing remarks