Food Systems Podcast 71

In this edition we are joined by Lodovica Freyberg, from the San Giorgio Soil Regeneration Project who were awarded a diploma of recognition in the recent Land and Soil Management Award recognising their pioneering water management and reforestation techniques in the challenging environment of drought-affected Sicily. She explains how they are blending traditional knowledge with modern ecological practices to build resilient agricultural systems capable of reducing flood risks while actively fighting desertification.

In this edition we are joined by Benedikt Bösel, CEO and Founder of Gut & Bösel, the winner of the recent Land and Soil Management Award. We discuss the regenerative approach that Benedikt and his team are taking and the broader policy debate on how to scale regenerative agriculture going forward.

Recorded at the Forum for the Future of Agriculture’s Regional Event in Copenhagen, Jeppe Bruus, Minister for the Green Transition, Denmark, joins us to discuss the work happening in Denmark to drive the transformation of the agri-food system. We share his thoughts from the conference and ask him some questions ahead of the Danish Presidency of the European Council.

Shari Rogge-Fidler, CEO of the Farm Foundation and a farmer herself, joins us to discuss the sentiment among U.S. farmers facing shifting policies and market uncertainties, the Foundation’s priorities for the year, and the insights she hopes to bring back from her visit to Europe.

As the FAO celebrates its 80th anniversary, we speak with Viorel Gutu, Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, who took part in our Annual Conference on April 1. We discuss the resilience of agri-food systems in the face of global challenges, and how stronger public-private cooperation can help address these challenges.

In this episode, we sit down with Tassos Haniotis, former Director at DG AGRI and Senior Guest Researcher at IIASA, and John Clarke, former Head of EU delegation to the WTO and the UN in Geneva,to explore the latest geopolitical shifts and their impact on global trade. We discuss what 2025 might hold for the rules-based order and how key policy developments could reshape international markets.

In this special episode, we talk with former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, who will be a keynote speaker at our Annual Conference on April 1. After two missions to the Hubble Telescope and four space walks to make critical repairs to the telescope, Mike explains how seeing the earth from space gave him a unique perspective on the fragility of the planet and a better understanding of its important role in keeping us alive and fed. He explains how growing food in space is a particular challenge, but he highlights that it demonstrates similar issues to growing food in areas of the world where resources, such as water, are limited. This is an inspiring discussion with someone who has experienced the awe and beauty of the planet from the frontier of space.

In this episode, we talk with Kathryn Bartlett, a soil scientist at Anglo-American, who is working on unpicking the interactions between polyhalite and soils. She explains the importance of building up this understanding of interactions to unlock new and innovative crop nutrient solutions as part of a global need to improve soil health/ performance that enhances crop nutrient use efficiency and land management practices. She also shares her special message on World Soil Day.

In this episode of the Food Systems Podcast, hosted by Mark Titterington, a panel of experts—John Baffes (World Bank Senior Agriculture Economist), Petr Havlik (Program Director at the International Institute for Applied Systems), and Tassos Haniotis (Special Advisor for Sustainable Productivity at the Forum's Advisory Council)—discuss critical challenges and opportunities in agriculture and food markets. The conversation focuses on the need for updated policies to address shifting dynamics caused by global shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and climate change.

In this episode, we talk with Stefania Avanzini, Director of One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B). Stefania discusses OP2B’s mission to transform agriculture by enhancing soil health, promoting biodiversity, and advancing sustainable farming practices. She highlights the need for collaboration between agribusinesses, governments, and farmers to scale these efforts, emphasizing that while significant investments have been made, more unified action and political support are essential for achieving large-scale impact.