The 1st International Congress on Biodiversity and Agriculture will bring together, in mid-April, experts from different regions of the world to connect research, agriculture, and markets, and to highlight initiatives and measures that help move toward agricultural production models aligned with biodiversity.
The event will take place from April 14 to 17 in Jaén, a geographically strategic region for implementing new systems and methodologies that combine profitability with nature conservation. The main promoter of this event is SEO/BirdLife, an organization that for more than 20 years has been working to build an alliance between biodiversity, agriculture, and people who support “living fields” — returning to our roots without giving up progress.
Program
The congress will begin on the afternoon of April 14 at the Íbero Museum with a lecture by Maria Helena Semedo, a Cape Verdean economist with over three decades of experience in sustainable development and agri-food systems, and former Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Semedo will emphasize the urgent need to transform current agricultural systems and shift toward new models that integrate biodiversity, climate, and food security.
On April 15 and 16, the main presentations and round tables will take place at the Old Teaching School Building (University of Jaén), featuring leading researchers, agricultural representatives, public officials, and market actors. Through four thematic sessions, the congress will address four key aspects:
- Agricultural biodiversity in science: Exploring various lines of research currently under development in this field.
- Biodiversity in the field: Presenting initiatives currently being applied in farming systems and fostering collective reflection on how new processes can be incorporated into current practices.
- Biodiversity and society: Analyzing how to make biodiversity a market value that is recognized and appreciated by society.
- Agricultural biodiversity in the agri-food system: Focusing on public policies, instruments, and other tools that can help integrate biodiversity into agriculture.
On April 17, participants will visit a demonstrative farm of the Olivares Vivos project, to see firsthand a real example that combines biodiversity and agricultural profitability. The visit will also include a tour of an olive mill and a tasting of extra virgin olive oils.
