Food, Agriculture, Technology and Sustainability Conference FATAS on November 11-13, 2026 in Ho, Ghana

The Food, Agriculture, Technology and Sustainability (FATAS) Conference 2026 is positioned as a high-level interdisciplinary platform centred on transforming food systems through innovation, sustainability, and technological integration. At its core, the conference is about addressing the structural and emerging challenges facing agriculture and food systems—particularly within Ghana and the broader African context—by leveraging science, engineering, and policy-driven solutions. It builds on the foundation of its inaugural 2025 edition but expands its ambition toward delivering more practical, scalable, and impact-oriented outcomes. 

The 2026 edition is on the theme: “Innovation for Resilient Futures: Integrating Food Systems, Technology, and Sustainable Agriculture”

The primary purpose of the conference is to serve as a convergence point for stakeholders across the food and agriculture ecosystem to co-create solutions that enhance resilience and sustainability. The conference explicitly targets critical issues such as the impacts of climate change, inefficiencies in agricultural value chains, post-harvest losses, and low levels of technology adoption. By situating these challenges within a broader innovation framework, FATAS 2026 aims to catalyse systemic change rather than isolated interventions, ensuring that outcomes are both development-oriented and implementable. 

In terms of its aim, FATAS 2026 seeks to promote applied research and innovation that directly contributes to resilient food systems. Unlike purely academic conferences, its orientation is strongly practical—emphasising technology transfer, entrepreneurship, and industry application. The conference also aims to strengthen collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers, recognising that fragmented approaches have historically limited progress in the sector. Additionally, it places deliberate emphasis on nurturing students and early-career researchers, positioning them as future drivers of innovation within the agricultural and sustainability landscape. 

A defining feature of the conference is its thematic focus: “Innovation for Resilient Futures: Integrating Food Systems, Technology, and Sustainable Agriculture.” This theme underscores a systems-thinking approach, where food production, processing, distribution, and consumption are viewed as interconnected components. The integration of digital agriculture, renewable energy, circular economy models, and sustainable infrastructure reflects a forward-looking agenda that aligns with global sustainability frameworks while remaining locally relevant. 

The conference is structured to maximize engagement and knowledge exchange through a hybrid format over three days. Key features include keynote addresses from thought leaders, technical paper presentations, policy dialogues, industry roundtables, exhibitions, and innovation showcases. This multi-format design ensures that participants are not only passive recipients of information but active contributors to discussions and solution development. The inclusion of exhibitions and innovation showcases is particularly significant, as it provides a platform for demonstrating real-world technologies and entrepreneurial ventures. 

The intended audience of FATAS 2026 is broad but strategically targeted. It includes academics, researchers, industry practitioners, policymakers, development partners, entrepreneurs, and students. This diversity is intentional, as the conference aims to bridge the traditional silos between research, policy, and practice. By bringing these groups together, FATAS creates opportunities for cross-sector collaboration, investment partnerships, and policy influence, thereby enhancing the likelihood of translating ideas into actionable outcomes. 

What differentiates FATAS 2026 from other conferences in similar fields is its strong emphasis on applied, solution-oriented engagement rather than purely theoretical discourse. The conference integrates research with industry needs, policy frameworks, and entrepreneurial opportunities, creating a holistic innovation ecosystem. Furthermore, its anchoring within a technical university reinforces its practical orientation, with a focus on engineering solutions, skills development, and technology deployment. The deliberate inclusion of value chain perspectives, from production to post-harvest and processing, also distinguishes it from more narrowly focused agricultural conferences. 

FATAS 2026 stands out through its commitment to measurable development impact and long-term sustainability. It is not conceived as a one-off event but as part of a broader institutional and national agenda to advance food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability. By fostering partnerships, encouraging innovation, and aligning with policy priorities, the conference positions itself as a catalyst for transformative change in the food and agriculture sector, both within Ghana and beyond.

Importantly, FATAS Conference 2026 has further strengthened its global academic and professional relevance through a strategic partnership with Taylor & Francis, one of the world’s leading scholarly publishers. This collaboration ensures that the conference proceedings and selected peer-reviewed papers presented during the event will be professionally published after the conference, significantly enhancing the visibility, credibility, and international dissemination of research outputs. By partnering with such a reputable publishing institution, FATAS 2026 provides participants with an exceptional opportunity to contribute to globally recognized academic literature while amplifying the conference’s role as a serious knowledge-generation and policy-influencing platform. This publishing arrangement not only elevates the conference’s scholarly prestige but also reinforces its commitment to producing lasting intellectual and developmental impact beyond the event itself.