Food for Humanity: Unlocking the Potential of Universities to End Hunger and Malnutrition

Conflict, climate extremes, and COVID-19 have disrupted food production and supply chains, leading to unprecedented global hunger, with 735 million people affected. The Food for Humanity Initiative, Climate School’s inaugural program on food systems, harnesses university expertise from various fields to address these challenges.

Agenda:

08:30AM – 09:00M: Coffee and Registration

09:00AM – 09:15AM: Welcome and Introduction

Dr. Jessica Fanzo, Professor of Climate & Director of the Food for Humanity Initiative

Dr. Jeff Shaman, Interim Dean of Columbia Climate School

Dr. Keren Yarhi-Milo, Dean of Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs

09:15AM – 11:15 AM World Leaders Forum: Food for Humanity

Introduction and Welcome by President Katrina Armstrong

09:15AM – 10:15 AM: Panel of World Leaders

Moderator: Dr. Glenn Denning, Professor of Professional Practice & Director of MPA-DP

H.E. Lazarus Chakwera, President of Malawi

H.E. Garry Conille, Prime Minister of Haiti

Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, Founder and CEO of Food Systems for the Future 

10:15AM – 11:15 AM: Fireside Chat

Moderator: Dr. Thomas J. Trebat, Director of Columbia University Global Center in Brazil

Mrs. Rosângela da Silva, First Lady of Brazil

11:15 AM – 12:00PM: Coffee Break

12:00PM – 01:15PM: Role of Research in Addressing Hunger and Malnutrition

Moderator: Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, Executive Vice President, Columbia Global

Ms. Afshan Khan, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN and Coordinator of the SUN Movement

Dr. Ana Maria Loboguerrero, Director of Adaptive and Equitable Food Systems at Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Dr. Corinna Hawkes, Director, Division of Agrifood Systems and Food Safety for the UN FAO

Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Chief of the Economic Empowerment section at UN Women

Dr. Purnima Menon, Senior Director, Food and Nutrition Policy for the CGIAR and IFPRI

01:15PM – 02:15PM: Lunch

02:15PM – 03:00PM: Youth Perspectives

Moderator: Dr. Pamela Koch, Mary Swartz Rose Associate Professor of Nutrition Education at Teachers College

Mr. Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy Officer of Global Citizen

Student Projects

03:00PM – 04:25PM: University Partnerships Case Studies

Moderator: Dr. Jessica Fanzo

Dr. Cary Fowler, US Special Envoy for Global Food Security & Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Dr. Jyotsna Puri, IFAD & Mr. Kyle Murphy, University of Chicago

Dr. Mario Herrero, Professor in the Department of Global Development and Director of Food Systems & Global Change, Cornell University

Dr. Dhanush Dinesh, Founder and Chief Climate Catalyst of Clim-Eat

Dr. Ruth DeFries, Professor of ecology and sustainable development, Columbia University & co-founding Dean of the Columbia Climate School

04:25PM – 04:30PM: Closing Remarks