Unfortunately, it hit us too: With great regret we had to cancel this year's Global Food Summit in Munich from March 24 to 26, 2020. Due to the global spread of COVID-19 and the current situation in Germany the decision was inevitable.

As the organizer of a global conference like the Global Food Summit, we bear the responsibility for the well-being of our international speakers, guests and employees. But we also share the responsibility of society as a whole not to contribute to the further spread of a virus epidemic, but on the contrary to do everything possible to contain and combat it.

Despite the necessary cancelation, we will of course continue to give a voice to innovations in food. We would like to invite you to the following events:

- November 1 - 10, 2020: Global Food Summit at Science Week Berlin
- March 23 - 25, 2021: Global Food Summit 2021 in Munich

It is already standing out that global supply chains will be seen in a different light. The supply of cities through urban farming and new technologies in food production will become increasingly important. We are all the more looking forward to be able to address these issues next year.

I wish you all calmness, and always to remain level-headed with an objective view on the development of this extraordinary crisis. Remain healthy and in good spirits.

Yours sincerely, Stephan Becker-Sonnenschein

The Norwegian company Yara International has a clear mission: "To feed the world in a responsible way and protect the planet". Yara produces chemicals and industrial gases such as fertilizers, urea, nitrates and ammonia, and is constantly working to develop better, more environmentally friendly products. The company also investigates the impact of various factors on the soil and the products grown. We asked Anke Kwast, Head of Product and Application R&D at Yara International, about her studies and Yara's role in a recycling economy.

Which initiatives has Yara planned or are already in development to improve the condition of soils?

Yara is addressing soil health in many ways. Based on the awareness of how critical soil health is for the food chain and the climate, Yara is involved in various initiatives and organizations. Another important aspect in order to manage soil health is a method to measure it. Nowadays, several methods are proposed and in development and Yara’s R&D team is examining them in close cooperation with other research organizations. MegaLab, Yara’s analytical service team, is working on the establishment of suitable soil health analytics. The continuation of the long term trial research in close collaboration with other research organizations will further deepen the knowledge on soil health. All the findings will be integrated into the recommendation and decision guidance tools Yara is providing to the famers to support soil health in the cropping systems.

Global Food Summit on the Road

Food of the future - technology alone is not enough

Picture: Metabolic Combining theory and practice is the guiding principle of "Metabolic", a globally operating consulting company based in Amsterdam. Metabolic develops holistic concepts for cities, companies and organizations, with environmentally friendly and sustainable strategies to deal with raw materials, energy and food. It uses scientific findings from all over the world as well as the results of its own non-profit research institute. Read the full article here

Communication

Full commitment to alternative proteins: The Good Food Institute

Picture: The Good Food Institute The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a US-American non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. It promotes plant-based alternatives for meat, dairy products and eggs as well as cultivated meat (clean meat) as an alternative for products of conventional animal husbandry. In its current annual review 2019, the Good Food Institute reports, among other things, on developments in the vegetable and cultivated meat industry and on its freely accessible research projects. Read the report here

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