b"FRANCO'S AGRI NOTESBY: FRANCO BRAZZABENIFROM SEED TO FOOD:FAOS FIRST UNIVERSAL EXPOF rom Seed to Food: there couldntgrowing food demand. This was the mes-have been a more fitting and engag- sage from the seed sector. ing title for the first FAO UniversalSeeds, as the first irreplaceable link in Exposition, held in Rome last October. every food supply chain, are essential for The FAO (Food and Agricultureensuring sufficient food supplies. Quality Organization of the United Nations), asagriculture must necessarily start with stated on its website, is an agency that leadsquality seeds, as a guarantee of high yields, international efforts to eradicate hunger.excellent nutritional values, and guaranteed The goal is to achieve food security for alltraceability, as demanded by consumers.the planets inhabitants and ensure that theySeeds are not simply a technical means regularly have sufficient quality food for aof cultivation, but a value for the society as healthy life. The dream is a world finallya whole. free of hunger and poverty, summed up inThe evolution of the seed sector, thanks the slogan: Better production, better nutri- primarily to plant research, has enabled an tion, a better environment, and a better life,increase in average food raw material pro-leaving no one behind. duction by over 20% since the beginning of The FAO is made up of 195 mem- this century alone. Not only that, but it has bers194 countries plus the Europeanalso enabled healthier and more nutritious Unionand operates in over 130 countriesfoods, with a progressively reduced use of worldwide. farmers, processors, traders, distributorschemicals. and retailers, all the way to consumers.Today, however, advanced research AN 80-YEAR HISTORY Thanks to science and technology, andis needed that is more suited to new chal-In 2025, FAO reached the milestone oftherefore innovation, but also to the experi- lenges, such as developing crops resilient to 80 years of activity. The first session ofence and know-how of operators, agri-foodincreasingly frequent climate adversities. the newly formed institution took placesystems have evolved in recent decades.In this regard, the so called New Genetic in February 1945. After fighting in twoIndeed, the world population hasTechniques (NGTs) can make a funda-terrible world wars, worlds nations wantedincreased significantly, from 2.5 billion aftermental contribution. For their use, after to strive for far nobler goals. It began bythe war to 8 billion today, with a projectionyears of discussions and ideological con-studying the state of nutrition in 70 coun- of 10 billion by 2050. Consumer demandsflicts, a political decision has finally been tries, thus highlighting the widespreadhave therefore changed, both for the quan- reached within the European Union. The problem of hunger in many parts of thetity and quality of food. Furthermore,EU Council has agreed with the European world.environmental awareness has grown, andParliament on the rules establishing a legal In 1949, the headquarters was movedtoday there is a demand to produce moreframework for the NGTs. The agreement from Washington, DC, to Rome, wherewith fewer technical inputs. Amid all thesereached in trilogue provides for a simpli-it remains today. And it was here that itschallenges, agriculture has significantlyfied procedure for NGT plants equivalent 80th anniversary was commemorated withincreased its production potential and pro- to conventional ones and addresses issues the First Universal Exposition.vided food for the planet. In the near future,related to intellectual property and access to In addition to celebrating the organ- it will need to further increase its competi- seeds. The agreement must now be formally ization, the goal was to explore the valuetiveness. This is a major challenge. adopted by both institutions in a short time chains of agriculture, horticulture, livestockbefore entering into force.farming, forestry, and fisheries.THE FUNDAMENTAL ROLE The FAO Expo was therefore an Hence the emblematic title of theOF SEEDS opportunity to reiterate a fundamental exhibition, From Seed to Food, toThe Italian seed association Assosementi,concept: the future of food security starts acquaint the public with the way that foodwhich brings together over 200 Italianfrom the seed. takes from cultivation to the table, throughseed and nursery companies, and the various stages.International Seed Federation could notFranco Brazzabeni is a marketing consultant The food supply chain begins with sci- miss the event. Food security cannot existin the international agribusiness, member of entific research, continues with the seed,without quality seeds and plant innovation,Assosementi and of ISF Groups and writes a and then with the work of agronomists,essential tools for addressing the worldsblog on www.agrinotes.it.FEBRUARY 2026|SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPEISEED WORLD EUROPE I 23"