Rome, 26th and 27th of May 2026. Policymakers, researchers, and agri-food stakeholders gathered in Rome for a day of high-level dialogue on how to accelerate the green transition of agri-food systems and how to promote healthier, more sustainable diets.
The event, “Building the Green Transition of Agri-food Systems: Advancing Innovation, Technologies and the Economy of the Future,” brought together perspectives from Denmark, Italy, and the broader international community. It began at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), where technical meetings were held with UN representatives. The event continued at the residence of the Danish Ambassador, Peter Taksøe-Jensen, which hosted a series of high-level discussions on European and national pathways towards more sustainable food systems.
During the meeting with FAO representatives, Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl, Executive Director in The Vegetarian Society of Denmark, shared best practices and lessons learned, with special attention given to Denmark’s Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods. He also highlighted how this policy, combined with the Plant-Based Food Grant, is assisting the transformation of food environments and agricultural production across the country through targeted incentives and investments.
At the Ambassador’s residence, Bente Svane of SEGES Innovation also shared insights from Legume-Boost, a project supported by the Plant-Based Food Grant. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration across the entire value chain to increase the production and consumption of legumes. She noted that interest from stakeholders, including farmers eager to participate, far exceeds the project’s current capacity, highlighting the strong momentum and willingness for change within the sector.
One message resonated throughout the discussions: the challenge is no longer the absence of strategies, but rather the need for greater alignment, scale, cooperation, and dedicated funding mechanisms to turn ambitions into action.
Denmark’s contribution to the dialogue also highlighted its carbon taxation framework, strong public-private partnerships, significant investments in innovation and biotechnology, and governance models that link climate objectives with economic competitiveness.
Italian and EU perspectives emphasized the circular economy and waste reduction as key pillars of a greener food system. Discussions also focused on strengthening bioeconomy and biotechnology value chains, safeguarding quality-certified production (DOP and IGP), scaling renewable energy and emerging technologies, and leveraging data and innovation to improve both productivity and sustainability.
Across both venues, participants converged on the importance of integrating biosolutions, sustainable livestock systems, plant-rich diets, and circular energy solutions. There was broad agreement on the need for a stronger enabling framework that can bridge the gap between policy ambitions, strategic investment, and commercially viable business models capable of delivering long-term impact.
This is event was co-financed as part of the ISAAP project under EIT Fod.
