FAO will hold an international Symposium "the Role of agricultural biotechnology in creating sustainable food systems and improved nutrition" from 15 to 17 February 2016.

This technical conference will discuss the questions of how agricultural biotechnology can benefit small-scale farmers, especially in developing countries who need to improve nutrition and enhance their livelihoods even when their food systems are limited by climate change, population growth and other socio-economic factors.

The event will host a series of performances, presentations and related activities. Meeting at the Ministerial level will be held February 16.

The Symposium focused on a wide range of biotechnologies that can lead to increased productivity, improvement of food quality and increase the productivity of agricultural crops, livestock, fish and trees, depend on food systems, nutrition and livelihoods of smallholder farmers.

These biotechnology cover a wide range of low-tech and high-tech approaches that can help to develop improved varieties and breeds, which are faster and more efficient will be able to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Some of them will allow for quick diagnosis of diseases and pests, whereas others will be used in the production of vaccines and to reduce the ecological footprint indicator in the agricultural sector.

The focus will be on agricultural biotechnology, which is currently available and ready for use by manufacturers, including low-technology approaches related to artificial insemination, fermentation technology, biofertilizer, and high-tech approaches with advanced methodologies based on DNA.

The Symposium will cover issues related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), however, they will not be the main focus of discussions.

The Symposium will be attended by representatives of governments, intergovernmental organizations, private sector, civil society, research and academic institutions, cooperatives and other producer organizations and farmer organizations.

Students from several universities around the world can participate in online interactive sessions to convey their messages to politicians.

FAO Director-General josé Graziano da Silvopastoril welcoming address at the opening ceremony.

The Symposium will end on February 17, concluding with a plenary session, which will be presented the results of technical discussions.

The Symposium will focus on discussing three main themes:

•Climate change

• Sustainable food systems and nutrition

• People, policies, institutions, and communities