Geneva, Switzerland – Trade, innovation and sustainability were at the heart of discussions at the WTO Public Forum 2026, held under the theme “Powering the Future,” at the WTO headquarters on 15-17 September 2026. The event brought together representatives from governments, business, academia, civil society and international organizations to explore how trade can support economic growth, development and global cooperation.
Representing the International Seed Federation (ISF), Dr Khaoula Belhaj-Fragnière, Director of Innovation, Trade and Market Access, engaged with WTO members, trade experts and other stakeholders on how innovation and trade shape the future of agriculture.
On the sidelines of the Forum, Dr Belhaj-Fragnière met with Dr Edwini Kessie, Director of the WTO Agriculture Division, and his team to discuss the opportunities and trade challenges arising from increasing climatic, geopolitical and regulatory pressures on global food and seed systems. The exchange highlighted the importance of open, predictable and science-based trade frameworks to support food security, agricultural resilience and innovation such as gene editing.
Building on ISF’s ongoing engagement with WTO and the International Grains Council (IGC), these discussions continue to strengthen a valuable platform for dialogue between international organizations, policymakers and the seed sector. As countries adopt different approaches to plant breeding innovation, such exchanges are essential to promote regulatory predictability, minimize trade disruptions and support the global movement and trade of innovation.
For ISF, the message is clear: innovation delivers its full potential when science, policy and trade work together.
We thank Dr Edwini Kessie and his team for the constructive exchange, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue on enabling policies that support innovation, sustainable agriculture, and global food security.#
