FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2026 Puts AI, One Health and Research Finance on Agenda

The fifth FAO Science and Innovation Forum will run from October 12 to 16, 2026, at FAO headquarters in Rome and online. The event sits under the World Food Forum alongside the Global Youth Forum and the Hand in Hand Investment Forum.

In person registration closes at midnight on October 7, while online participation remains part of the event format. That deadline makes the forum immediately relevant for researchers, policymakers, farmers’ organizations, technical specialists and companies deciding whether to attend in Rome.

The 2026 programme covers responsible data and artificial intelligence governance, One Health in agrifood systems, climate adaptation limits, science communication and stronger evidence synthesis. It also examines how scientific advances can be translated into practical knowledge rather than remaining disconnected from implementation.

FAO is framing the forum around the theme Innovate today, Nourish tomorrow. The organization says the central objective is to connect international commitments with action that can be adapted to national and local contexts.

The audience is intentionally broad, including scientists, students, research institutions, policymakers, Indigenous knowledge holders, farmers, youth, private companies, United Nations staff and FAO member countries. That mix gives the forum more policy and research depth than a conventional commercial trade exhibition.

Agricultural research finance is another major theme. Sessions will examine new funding models and the need for greater investment in low and lower middle income countries, where access to technology and research capacity can be constrained even when production challenges are acute.

Participants should not expect a product fair organized mainly around sales leads. The practical value lies in policy direction, research partnerships, institutional contacts and early visibility into how FAO and member governments are approaching AI, climate risk, One Health and innovation governance.

For organizations working across science, agriculture and public policy, the forum offers a concentrated five day programme with both physical and remote access. The immediate action point is simple: anyone planning to attend in Rome must complete registration before the October 7 deadline.