Call for Submissions for Biotech Innovation Challenge

Call for Submissions for Biotech Innovation ChallengeFAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies ConferenceBiotechnologies for a Sustainable Future: Driving Agrifood Systems Transformation16 - 18 June 2025, FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy

Youth, young scientists and innovators play a crucial role in development, adaptation, dissemination and scaling of biotechnological solutions to enhance food production, improve nutrition and reduce environmental impacts and enhance resilience of agrifood systems.

As part of FAO’s 80th Anniversary Celebrations and the Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference, FAO calls for submissions for Biotech Innovation Challenge to showcase biotech innovations developed by young scientists and innovators below the age of 35. The FAO Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference will be attended by representatives of governments, international and intergovernmental organizations, academia and research institutions, civil society organizations, private sector and producer organizations.

The submissions for the challenge should focus on the recent research results and advances in biotechnologies in crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, nutrition, food safety, bioeconomy and soil microbiome that are yet to be widely tested and have potential to create tangible solutions at scale and contributing significantly to agrifood systems transformation. The submissions may also focus on recent biotechnological solutions for solving the problems of smallholders in developing countries, especially to increase yield and income, improve resistance to pests and diseases, nutrition and food safety, and for characterization and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The submissions must be made online on or before 9 May 2025 by filling out the form below. The shortlisted submissions will be further evaluated by a panel of experts through an interactive virtual discussion. Through this process, three submissions will be selected for presentation during the conference. The lead expert of the selected three submissions will be invited to make presentation to the wider audience during the conference on 16-18 June 2025. This will be a great opportunity for the young scientists and innovators to network with wide range of stakeholders and further develop their innovations to be able to transform into tangible solutions.

Registration is required for all the participants through the conference web page (FAO Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference). FAO will provide financial support to the selected three young scientists and innovators for travel and accommodation associated with the participation in the conference.

Deadline for submission: 9 May 2025 (CET, Rome Time).

1. Basic information for the biotech innovation challenge entry

a) Organization/Institution and website *

b) Type of Organization *

c) Location (County and Region) *

d) Mailing address *

e) Contact person (First Name, LAST NAME) *

f) Email address *

g) Date of birth of the lead author of the innovation *

h) Gender of the contact person

i) Name of the other co-authors or team members, their age, gender, and email addresses *

2. Title of the biotech innovation (max: 200 Characters) *

3. Choose the most relevant sector of your biotech innovation *

4. Executive summary (max: 1500 characters)* Provide a concise summary of your biotechnological innovation, incorporating the context/ background of the problem, specific objective or question addressed; A brief description of your methodology, the outcomes and its potential Impacts for agrifood system transformation.

5. Problems addressed (max: 1000 characters) * Provide the problems that your biotechnological innovation has addressed. Explain the contextual background of the problems with quantitative data and evidence, or references to literature or previous research.

6. Objective(s) of the innovation (max: 400 characters) * Provide the objective(s) of your biotechnological innovation; The objectives should be measurable and aligned to the problems discussed above.

7. Methodologies (max: 1500 characters ) * Provide the methodologies employed in your innovation. It may include research design (whether your innovation is qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods, justification of this choice in relation to the objectives); use of any innovative laboratory tools or approaches, data collection methods (tools/techniques of data collection), data analysis, sampling strategy (sample size, selection criteria, and geographic scope), scalability and adaptability (how the research can be scaled or adapted to different contexts or regions), risks and ethical considerations (address risks, data privacy, or environmental safeguards, if any)

8. Results (max: 1500 characters) * Briefly describe the tangible outcomes that your innovation has achieved with measurable indicators. Link the outcomes to your methodology to the objectives and explain how the outcomes of your innovation can lead to actionable solutions that harness the potential of biotechnological innovations. This may include biotechnological solutions applied to solve the problems of agrifood systems, especially smallholders in developing countries.

9. Novelty and uniqueness of your innovation (max: 1000 characters) * Briefly describe the Novelty of approach (Innovative and uniqueness of your approaches and how they are distinguished from existing solutions.), Methodological Advancements (New techniques, tools etc. that you have invented, introduced, or improved), and Interdisciplinary Integration (Unique combinations of different disciplines or technologies).

10. Risk if any from your innovation (max: 1000 characters ) * This may include Risk Factor, probability, Impact, and Mitigation strategy.

11. Potential impacts/benefits of your innovation and scalability (max: 1000 characters ) * Describe how your biotechnological innovation can contribute to increase yield and income, improve resistance to pests and diseases, nutrition and food safety, and for characterization and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture at scale.

12. How will you make use of your participation in the conference (max: 1000 characters) * Explain how you would use your participation in the conference to contribute to further develop and scale up your innovation If your submission is selected.

13. Background Information of the team (max: 1000 characters ) * Provide a short summary including some background information about the authors (team), individual, private business or national or regional institution submitting the biotech innovation.

14. References (up to 5 relevant references, max: 1000 characters ) *

Biotechnology