Debate Video Now Available: “Hunger and Biodiversity – Two Sides of the Same Coin”

May 5, 2025

The video recording of the debate exploring the intersection of two of today’s most pressing global challenges—hunger and biodiversity—is now available. Held in April, the event marked another significant milestone in the series of discussions organized by the TERRA Associate Laboratory on urgent environmental and social issues, bringing together renowned experts in the field.

Entitled “Hunger and Biodiversity: Two Sides of the Same Coin”, the debate aimed to examine the intrinsic relationship between the global food crisis and biodiversity loss, emphasizing how these two issues are deeply interconnected and directly impact global sustainability. The session was moderated by Filipa Monteiro (LEAF and TERRA/ISA) and featured Máriam Abbas (ITT – Institute for Natural Resources Technology and Management, Cologne, Germany / OMR – Observatório do Meio Rural, Maputo) and José Lima Santos (CEF and TERRA / ISA), who provided comprehensive insights into the challenges faced in diverse global contexts.

Máriam Abbas focused on the effects of environmental changes on food systems and rural communities, highlighting the need for integrated solutions to address both hunger and ecosystem degradation. José Lima Santos offered a practical perspective on how public policy and scientific approaches can be leveraged to enhance resilience in agricultural communities while safeguarding biodiversity.

Guided by moderator Filipa Monteiro, the discussion progressed through a structured series of questions that allowed the speakers to delve deeper into potential solutions. The debate underscored the critical role of public policy, technological innovation, and global awareness in mitigating the dual crises of hunger and biodiversity loss.

Events like this demonstrate TERRA Associate Laboratory’s ongoing commitment to fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange between researchers and policymakers, with the goal of identifying sustainable solutions to the most pressing environmental and social challenges of our time.

The full video of the debate is now available on TERRA’s YouTube channel – watch it here in portuguese.