Around 60 speakers and exhibitors from governments, international organizations, technical institutions and development partners took part in the Interactive Zone for Transformative Solutions, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during the 39 FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC39).

Inspired by the World Food Forum (WFF) and complemented by an Exhibition Pavilion, the initiative brought together contributions from more than 15 institutions and donors, creating a space to showcase innovation, knowledge and cooperation in support of the regional dialogue on agrifood systems. The Interactive Zone was open to more than 500 participants attending the Regional Conference.

The space served as a platform for exchange, linking the Conference’s high-level policy discussions with practical solutions being implemented across the region.

The experience featured an audiovisual pre-show dedicated to FAO’s “Four Betters” — better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life — presenting more than 45 stories from the field featuring farmers, rural communities and local stakeholders.

Talks explored a wide range of topics, including Amazon bioeconomy, digital innovation in agriculture, school feeding programmes and healthy food systems, as well as governance for food security, youth leadership and South–South and triangular cooperation. Discussions also addressed mobilizing investment for sustainable agrifood systems, strengthening the resilience of agricultural value chains, sustainable forest management and the application of nuclear science in agriculture, including techniques to improve plant and animal health.

The Interactive Zone also featured 12 thematic stands presenting digital tools, knowledge platforms and cooperation experiences in areas such as family farming, technological innovation, agrifood finance, natural resource management and capacity development.

Among the technological innovations showcased was “Miss FAO AI”, an interactive artificial intelligence avatar that enabled participants to access information about the conference agenda, official documents and exhibition content through voice commands in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

The Exhibition Pavilion offered a museum-style experience inspired by the FAO Museum and the Network of Museums of Food and Agriculture in Rome. The exhibition presented a curated selection reflecting the Organization’s 80 years of work, through historical images, audiovisual materials and institutional artefacts.

It also highlighted progress in several of FAO’s flagship initiatives in the region, including the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, Blue Transformation, One Country One Priority Product (OCOP), Green Cities, Digital Villages and the Regional Platform for Family Farming.

Experiences from the Brazil–FAO South–South Cooperation Programme were also presented, showcasing collaboration aimed at strengthening agrifood systems and advancing sustainable rural development through knowledge exchange among countries.