| INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION |
Schedule – Global Business Forum Get ready to explore the future of food, bioenergy, and sustainability. IFAMA 2025 brings together global leaders, bold innovators, and next-gen thinkers for two dynamic days of panels and keynotes that challenge ideas, spark solutions, and inspire action in agribusiness worldwide.
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WEDNESDAY, 25–JUNE |
Getting to the Multiplan Hall |
07:30 – 08:15 | Welcome Coffee and Accreditation |
08:15 – 09:00 | Official Kick-Off |
Aidan Connolly – President, AgriTech Capital; President, IFAMA (IRELAND) |
09:00 – 09:30 | Keynote 1: The Future of Farming A visionary exploration of how technology, sustainability, and global trends are redefining the future of farming and food production. Marcos Fava Neves, Moderator – Conference Co-Chair; Professor, Harven Agribusiness School (BRAZIL) |
09:30 – 10:15 | Panel 1: From Farm to Fabric – Insights into Consumer Movements towards 2050 |
Consumer demands for sustainable, traceable, and ethically sourced food and everyday products, such as our clothes, fundamentally reshape the global agribusiness system. This panel examines how emerging consumer values and technology-enabled transparency drive the farm-to-food (and textile) transformation, exploring strategies for meeting tomorrow's expectations, considering sustainably, communication, and profitably. Roberto Fava Scare, Moderator – General Director and Founder, Harven Agribusiness School; Founding Partner, Markestrat Agribusiness (BRAZIL) Takeaways: Which opportunities does our company have with consumers’ new movements? |
10:15 – 10:45 | Keynote 2: A New Narrative for Agriculture and Agri-Food Systems as Global Solutions This keynote presents a forward-looking vision that repositions agriculture and agri-food systems in the Americas as strategic drivers of global solutions for sustainability, food security, climate resilience, and social inclusion. With over 400 million people depending directly or indirectly on these systems, the region stands as a major food provider and a critical player in the planet’s environmental and energy balance. However, persistent urban and historical narratives have distorted their image—limiting recognition, investment, and public policy support. Through concrete data and successful case studies, this session invites a collective shift in how we understand, value, and invest in the future of agri-food systems in the Americas and beyond. Manuel Otero – Director General, IICA (ARGENTINA) |
10:45 – 11:15 | Coffee Break |
11:15 – 12:20 | Panel 2a (parallel session): Sustainability Creating Value for Companies |
ESG practices are becoming essential for long-term business success as investors, regulators, and consumers increasingly demand responsible and transparent operations from companies. This panel explores how organizations can leverage ESG initiatives—from sustainable sourcing to inclusive labor practices—to drive innovation, reduce risk, and create competitive advantages that go beyond mere compliance to boost resilience and profitability. Nicola Shadbolt, Moderator – Chair at Plant & Food Research, Crown Research Institute (NEW ZEALAND) Takeaways: Which opportunities does our company have with ESG? |
11:15 – 12:20 | Panel 2b (parallel session): How Women and the Next Generation Will Transform Agribusiness |
(in Auditorium 2) Members of the IFAMA Young Board host an engaging chat with FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol showcasing how women and young professionals are reshaping the industry through three critical lenses: innovative technology, dynamic leadership approaches, and sustainable agriculture. Beth Bechdol – Deputy Director General at the UN-FAO (ITALY) |
12:30 –14:00 | Case Competition Grand Finales: Undergraduate Division |
(in Auditorium 2) |
12:30 – 14:30 | Lunch |
14:30 – 15:45 | Panel 3: The Challenge of Training New Leaders in Agribusiness |
As the agribusiness sector evolves toward a more sustainable, digital, and globally integrated food system, educational institutions, technology hubs, and corporations are rethinking leadership development to prepare future decision-makers for 2050 and beyond. This session explores key competencies like systems thinking, digital fluency, and adaptive management through real-world case studies that align talent development with the sector's ability to adapt and meet global sustainability goals. Anathi Makamane, Moderator – IFAMA Young Board; Lecturer, University of the Free State (SOUTH AFRICA) Takeaways: How can we be better prepared to develop talents in our company? |
15:15 – 16:15 | Case Competition Grand Finales: Young Professionals Division |
(in Auditorium 2) |
15:45 – 16:15 | Coffee Break |
16:15 – 17:45 | Panel 4: Sustainable Innovations – Achieving More with Less |
Agricultural innovation faces a critical gap between breakthrough technologies and real-world implementation, where the most promising solutions for sustainable productivity often fail to achieve scale due to farmer adoption barriers, inadequate local adaptation, and misaligned market incentives. The panel will examine how precision agriculture, biological inputs, and AI-driven tools can transform food systems only when supported by the right conditions for farmer uptake, context-sensitive adaptation processes, and market mechanisms that properly value environmental and social benefits. Tony Salas, Moderator – Founder and CEO, Shared-X; Founder and President, ACM Consulting (PERU) Takeaways: How can sustainable innovations make our company more competitive? |
17:45 – 18:15 | Keynote 3: Beyond the Hype – AI's Real Impact on Food and Agriculture |
Artificial Intelligence promises to revolutionize agriculture, but how do we separate a transformative opportunity from a disruptive threat? This session cuts through the noise, offering practical insights into how to navigate the challenges to create a stronger, more resilient, and sustainable future for agriculture. The results and analysis of a very recent survey conducted with 40+ experts working with AI in the Food and Agri-sector will be shared. Aidan Connolly, Moderator – President, AgriTech Capital; President, IFAMA (IRELAND) |
18:30 | Closing |
THURSDAY, 26–JUNE |
Getting to the Multiplan Hall |
07:30 – 08:15 | Welcome Coffee |
08:15 – 08:45 | Keynote 4: Creating Resilient and Sustainable Food Markets for the Future |
Food systems worldwide are facing unprecedented pressure from climate disruption, supply chain vulnerabilities, and economic volatility. This keynote explores how food markets and agrifood systems can become more resilient through inclusion, innovation, and international cooperation. Beth Bechdol – Deputy Director General, UN-FAO (ITALY) |
08:45 – 10:00 | Panel 5: Creating Competitive Advantage through Cooperatives and Associations – The Role of Collective Actions |
Small and mid-sized producers often struggle to compete with larger agribusiness players due to limited resources, weak bargaining power, and fragmented market access. This session explores how cooperatives and producer associations can level the playing field by strengthening market access, negotiating power, and resilience for these producers in the global agrifood system. Panelists share successful governance models and case studies showing how collective strategies unlock scale, trust, and differentiation in both domestic and international markets. Decio Zylberstajn, Moderator – Professor, PENSA/USP (BRAZIL) Takeaways: What is the role of collective organizations in promoting business? |
10:15 – 10:45 | Coffee Break |
10:45 – 11:45 | Panel 6: The Future of Bioenergy |
A conversation among top leaders in the Brazilian energy sector discuss how bioenergy can accelerate decarbonization while balancing energy needs with food and land use priorities—and how agribusiness companies can position Brazil as a leader in this energy transition with positive socioeconomic impact. Bruno Serapião, Moderator – CEO, Atvos (BRAZIL)
Takeaways: Which opportunities does our company face in bioenergy? |
11:45 – 11:50 | Mariangela Hungria – Brazilian scientist and researcher at Embrapa Soja. Named the 2025 laureate of the World Food Prize (WFP), for her contribution to the development of biological inputs for agriculture. |
11:50 – 13:15 | Case Competition Grand Finales: Graduate Division |
(in Auditorium 2) |
12:30 – 14:00 | Lunch / Case Competition |
14:00-15:15 | Panel 7: Biotechnology – Pioneering Innovation and Sustainability |
Biotechnology is redefining agriculture by offering powerful tools to boost productivity, enhance resilience, and reduce environmental impact while meeting the demands of a growing global population. This session explores cutting-edge advances in gene editing, synthetic biology, and climate-resilient crops, while addressing regulatory pathways and the importance of public trust in scaling biotechnology responsibly. Esteban R. Brenes, Moderator – Professor of Strategy and Agribusiness, INCAE Business School; President, BAC & Associates S.A. (COSTA RICA) Takeaways: What is the role of collective organizations in promoting business? |
15:15 – 15:45 | Coffee Break |
15:45-17:00 | Panel 8: From Farm to Table: Responding to Consumer Demands to Produce Nutritious Food Sustainably |
Consumers worldwide are increasingly demanding nutritious, safe, responsibly produced, and environmentally conscious food. This session will explore how stakeholders along the food value chain address these expectations through innovation, sustainability, and inclusive action. Contributions to the panel will highlight regulatory strategies, product reformulation efforts to improve nutritional profiles, and initiatives to reduce food waste. A special focus will be given to how companies and organizations work alongside regional communities to cocreate solutions that care for people and the planet. Panelists will share how transparent supply chains, sustainability certifications, and consumer education reshape the relationship between farm, table, and territory. Thia Hennessy, Moderator – Professor of Agri-Food Economics, University College Cork (IRELAND) |
17:00 – 17:30 | Closure Keynote: Agribusiness Message to COP and The Role of Sustainability |
A strategic reflection on how agribusiness can contribute to global climate agendas, highlighting its critical role in advancing sustainability at COP discussions. Aidan Connolly – President, AgriTech Capital; President, IFAMA (IRELAND) |
17:30 – 17:45 | Preview of IFAMA 2026 in Ireland; and Event Closing |
19:00 – 23:00 | Presidential Banquet |