Conference Program

The Science Forum 2013 program combined plenary sessions with breakout discussions, bringing together evidence from across a range of disciplines to identify priority research needs for agriculture, nutrition and health.

The three-day forum took place in Bonn, Germany, from 23 – 25 September 2013, under the theme “Nutrition and health outcomes: targets for agricultural research”. The program was organized under the Science Forum series, a flagship initiative of the Independent Science and Partnership Council (ISPC).

A published summary of the plenary and the 10 breakout sessions was made available as part of the forum materials.

Plenary sessions

Keynote addresses framing the research targets, including “What do we know about the nutrition and health outcomes of agriculture?” delivered by Patrick Webb of Tufts University.

See the schedule

Breakout sessions

Ten breakout sessions drawing on evidence across disciplines to define priority research needs for agricultural research.

See the schedule

Early career scientists

A dedicated track and support for emerging researchers taking part in the forum.

Early career scientists

At a glance

Dates: 23 – 25 September 2013
Location: Bonn, Germany
Theme: Nutrition and health outcomes: targets for agricultural research
Format: plenaries plus 10 breakout sessions
Initiated by the ISPC in 2009

The Science Forum 2013 program was built around a single guiding theme: nutrition and health outcomes as targets for agricultural research. Held over three days in Bonn, Germany, from 23 to 25 September 2013, it paired plenary sessions with breakout discussions so that findings from agriculture, nutrition and health could be compared side by side. Rather than treating malnutrition as a problem belonging to one discipline, the forum asked how research across these fields might be aligned to reduce stunting, micronutrient deficiencies and other forms of undernutrition affecting children and adults in developing countries.

The plenary and ten breakout sessions drew on a broad range of evidence, from the biology of vitamin and mineral deficiencies to the impact of agricultural interventions and the design of food systems. Participants considered both sides of the nutrition challenge: persistent hunger and insecurity in many countries, and the growing burden of overweight and chronic disease in others. A published summary of the plenary and breakout work was made available so that the discussion could continue beyond the meeting itself, and career, participation and logistics materials were provided for those attending.

Organized under the Science Forum series, the event was a flagship initiative of the Independent Science and Partnership Council, convened with the participation of researchers, partners and policy-makers. The forum's own framing acknowledged that remarkable advances have occurred, while noting that significant questions remain unresolved, and that contributions to evidence, clarity and impact need recognition and renewed attention. Its stated intent was to realign policies, strategies and interventions so that global progress on hunger, malnutrition and health outcomes can be accelerated, and to clarify what the contributions of different disciplines can offer.

Key speakers

Patrick Webb, Tufts University
Corina Hawkes, WCRF International
Chizuro Nishida, WHO

Questions

For more information, contact the ISPC Secretariat at SF-2013@scienceforum13.org.

Program structure

Sessions were arranged so that plenary input fed directly into the breakout discussions, where working groups drafted research priorities for agriculture that improve nutrition and health outcomes.

Programme components
Component	Focus
Plenary	Keynote addresses on the state of evidence linking agriculture, nutrition and health.
Breakouts	Ten topic-focused sessions identifying priority research needs.
Early career track	Opportunities and support for emerging researchers in the field.
KS Fair	Part of the broader forum activities in Bonn.

“What do we know about the nutrition and health outcomes of agriculture?”

Patrick Webb, Tufts University — keynote plenary session

Looking for the day-by-day timetable?

The full program schedule covers all three days, including keynote addresses and the specialized breakout sessions.

Full program schedule About the Science Forum