AgriFood Forum 2023: Setting the Scene
This AgriFood Forum’s primary focus is to address an array of multifaceted difficulties besetting the agri-food ecosystem. Unprecedented global events, such as COVID-19’s effects on logistics and human resources and the extreme weather phenomena caused by climate change, have made the sector’s problems worse in recent years. The geopolitical landscape, including recent crises like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has injected another layer of complexity, raising the costs of critical inputs like energy and fertilizers. These stressors are immediate in their impact and have long-term implications for food security and economic stability across nations.
Imperative for Collaborative Effort
In response to these pressing circumstances, cross-sectoral cooperation involving government bodies, the private sector, and non-state actors like NGOs is crucial. This partnership must recognize that the agri-food sector is vital for both the economy and social stability and global health. To achieve agricultural sustainability, we need evidence-based policies and industry consultations.
Investment and Support Strategies
One effective approach for resilience is to invest in the sector’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Financial incentives, like local producer purchase guarantees, can stimulate grassroots activities. Prioritizing programs for younger individuals, including educational initiatives on modern agricultural technologies and sustainable farming practices, is crucial. Additionally, both the public and private sectors should emphasize risk analysis frameworks and provide financial grants for innovation and digitalization research to boost productivity and reduce food waste.
Crisis Management and Sustainability
Moreover, there’s a strong case for creating ‘crisis-trigger’ mechanisms. Implementing adaptive policies and establishing contingency funds can rapidly respond to supply chain shocks. Simultaneously, transitioning from fossil-fuel reliance to renewable energy sources offers sustainability and operational cost benefits.
Global Imperatives
Without a proactive, unified strategy at an international level, an already fragile ecosystem may be in danger. Advanced analytics and big data can revolutionize the sector. Transparent data sharing among nations can facilitate more accurate assessments and forecasts, aiding in the optimal allocation of resources.
Towards a Sustainable Future
The goal is crystal clear: we must orchestrate a revolution in how we view food production, distribution, and consumption if we are to secure the future of our global food systems. This includes aligning objectives for food security, production, and sustainability. The transformation must be built around a collaborative model involving every link in the food supply chain, from the farmer to the consumer.
Transitioning to a more sustainable and resilient agri-food ecosystem requires a paradigm shift. Traditional agricultural practices must evolve, embracing sustainability as a non-negotiable facet of the future. With integrated efforts from the commercial and public sectors on local, national, and global platforms, significant advancements in food security, sustainability, and economic prosperity can be achieved.
Context of the Peace for Food Initiative
The current state of global affairs could be defined as a multi-layered crisis that is creating a shock to food demand and supply. Climate change, the pandemic and conflicts have significantly overloaded food systems and created one of the worst food crises in history. It has become urgent to move from discussion to action if global food systems are to feed the world, sustain the environment, and enable livelihoods across the food supply chain. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already severely disrupted global food markets, causing negative consequences for global grain supplies in the short term. Disrupting natural gas and fertilizer markets, as well as the production and spread of agricultural technology, will also have negative impacts on producers in the medium- to long-term. In this context, the theme of Building Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in a Changing Environment: Shared Challenges, Transformative Solutions, was selected for the OECD Meeting of Agriculture Ministers (Ministerial) on November 2022.
Objectives of the Peace for Food Initiative
The Peace for Food Initiative aims to bring international attention and global stakeholders together to highlight the current situation in global food markets. The initiative will enable businesses to proactively contribute to the OECD work on agriculture and will highlight the business commitment to reaching global objectives, including agriculture sustainability and innovation. Peace for Food has three main goals:
- Inform the OECD and policymakers on the current challenges businesses face in wake of recent food price hikes, particularly in developing countries, what challenges it poses for businesses in developed countries, and showcase how businesses tackle these challenges.
- Discuss policy actions to calm agricultural markets in the short term, and identify policy recommendations for making our food systems more resilient and sustainable in the long term, boosting agriculture productivity, innovation and how it can contribute to evidence-based policy-making.
- Explore the role of international collaboration, in particular through OECD and G20 initiatives can play in stabilizing global food markets in times of price inflation.
We expect the upcoming AgriFood Forum to yield multiple positive outcomes:
Collaborative Problem-Solving
It will serve as a platform for diverse stakeholders from the agrifood industry and related fields to engage in discussions around the intricate challenges facing the sector. To address them, participants will collaboratively work towards identifying strategic solutions and long-term commitments.
Policy Recommendations
The forum will enable experts to produce a comprehensive policy document containing recommendations directed towards key policy-making institutions like Business at OECD and the European Commission. This resource will provide actionable insights that can facilitate informed decision-making.
Public Awareness and Dialogue
The forum endeavors to raise public awareness and facilitate dialogue on the significance of sustainable and secure food systems in our society. It is our hope that this event will foster collective responsibility towards ensuring the future-proofing of our food systems.
Speakers
Prof. dr. Viktoras Pranckietis
Dr. Agnė Kudarauskienė
Andrius Pranckevičius
Gérald Audaz
Evangelia Mourmoura
Maciej Krzysztofowicz
Simon Maas
Maurizio Tomalino
Rokas Morkūnas
Alfredas Jonuška
Katarzyna Dyja
Marius Krutulis
Piotr Lipiec
Paulius Chockevičius
Agnė Bagočiūtė
*The list of speakers will be updated.
Agenda
Coming soon
09:00 - 09:30 Opening
Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen | Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
Kęstutis Navickas | Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania
Aušrinė Armonaitė | Minister of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania
09:30 - 09:45 Opening presentation
Marion Jansen | Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate at OECD
09:45 - 10:45 High-Level Opening Discussion – Ensuring Global Food Supply in the Context of Recent Crises
Vidmantas Janulevičius | President of the Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists
Marius Vaščega | Head of the European Commission Representation in Lithuania
Jaroslav Neverovič | Chief Advisor to the President of the Republic of Lithuania
Moderated by: Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director of “AgriFood Lithuania”
10:45 – 11:00 Keynote presentation
Dr. Andy Zynga | CEO at EIT Food
11:00 - 11:15 Keynote presentation
Augustas Alešiūnas | AgTech Business Angel & Owner of ART21
11:15 - 11:35 Coffee break
I Hall
II Hall
III Hall
11:35 - 12:45 Panel Discussion 1A – Enhancing Innovations and Transitioning to Agricultural Digitization
Insight: Dr. George Beers | Coordinator of “Smart Agri Hubs,” Researcher at Wageningen University
Evangelia Mourmoura | Leader of the Digitalization Team at the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Dr. Andy Zynga | CEO of EIT Food
Egidijus Barcevičius | Director of “PPMi” Research
Dr. Claudia Godinho | EIT Food Hub in Portugal
Moderated by: Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director of “AgriFood Lithuania”
12:45 - 14:15 Lunch break
14:15 - 15:30 Panel Discussion 2A – Towards Transformative Solutions in Creating Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems
Insight: Maciej Krzysztofowicz | Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
Prof. Dr. Viktoras Pranckietis | Chairman of the Rural Affairs Committee of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
Andrius Pranckevičius | Deputy Chairman of the Board of “Linas Agro Group,” Chairman of the Board of “PF Kekava,” CEO of AB “Kauno Grūdai”
Prof. Dr. Astrida Miceikienė | Chancellor of the Agriculture Academy at Vytautas Magnus University
Dr. Arūnas Svitojus | Chairman of the Chamber of Agriculture
Rokas Morkūnas | Policy Advisor at “Business at OECD”
Moderated by: Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director of “AgriFood Lithuania”
15:30 - 16:45 Panel Discussion 3A: Climate, Energy, Skills, and Food: Regional Resilience Ensuring Future in the Food Value Chain
Insight: Kristina Simonaitytė | Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania
Giedrius Bagušinskas | Director of “LitMEA”
Grzegorzk Brodziak | President of “GoodValley Agro S.A.”
Kazys Starkevičius | Chairman of the Committee on Economics of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
Dr. Agnė Kudarauskienė | Deputy Minister of Education, Science, and Sport
Agnė Bagočiūtė | Advisor at the Lithuanian Energy Agency
Moderated by: Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director of “AgriFood Lithuania”
16:45 - 17:00 Coffee Break
17:00 - 17:50 Panel Discussion 4A: Opportunities for SMEs, Industry, and Farmers
Insight: Marco Francini | Head of the European Investment Bank Representation in Lithuania
Grigoris Chatzikostas | Vice President for Business Development at “FoodScale Hub”
Thomas Gitsoudis | Senior Innovation Coordinator at “AgriFood Lithuania”
17:50 - 18:00 Concluding session
Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director at AgriFood Lithuania
11:35 - 12:45 Panel Discussion 1B – Carbon Farming: Are Market-Driven Initiatives the Solution?
Insight: Alejandro Trenor | Co-Founder and CFO of “Soil Capital”
Donatas Dailidė | CEO of “Dojus Group”
Raimundas Juknevičius | Chairman of the Lithuanian Farmers Union
Remigijus Lapinskas | Director of the Institute of Green Policies
Arnas Radzevičius | Head of the Agro Precision Technologies Department at “Agrokoncernas”
Vidmantas Janulevičius | President of the Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists
Moderated by: Živilė Kropaitė-Basiulė
12:45 - 14:15 Lunch break
14:15 - 15:30 Panel Discussion 2B: Future Customer: Food Trends, Consumer Behavior, and Generational Eating Habits
Insight: Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Klincewicz | Professor at the University of Warsaw
Mindaugas Snarskis | CEO of “Vikonda Group”
Milda Kraużlis | Leader of the “EIT FOOD CLC North-East” RIS Program
Ieva Gudanavičienė | Nutrition Officer at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania
Matija Bumbak | Co-Founder of “Oyster 22”
Moderated by: Živilė Kropaitė-Basiulė
15:30 - 16:45 Panel Discussion 3B: European Digital Innovation Hubs – Expectations and Opportunities for Collaboration
Presented by EDIH.LT
Insight: Grigoris Chatzikostas | Vice President for Business Development at “FoodScale Hub”
Mantas Vilys | Director of the Lithuanian Innovation Center
Łukasz Łowiński | ESIC Coordinator in Poland, Poznań Institute of Advanced Sciences
Daniel Copot | Leader of AgriFood DIH (Slovenia)
Augustas Alešiūnas | AgTech Business Angel and Owner of “ART21”
Orsolya Szaplonczay | Executive Director of “Innoskart DIH”
Simon Maas | Chairman of “Smart Sensors 4 Agri-food S3-partnership”
Moderated by: Grigoris Chatzikostas | Vice President for Business Development at “FoodScale Hub”
16:45 - 17:00 Coffee Break
17:00 - 17:50 Panel Discussion 4B: Agriculture in the City: Potential, Challenges, and Opportunities
Paulius Chockevičius | Founder of “Urbanbee.lt”
Marius Krutulis | Founder and Director of “Daržulis”
Aušra Sičiūnienė | Representative of Vilnius City Municipality
Moderated by: Orsolya Szaplonczay
17:50 - 18:00 Closing Session (Main Hall)
11:40 - 12:00 Opening of the Session: Final Conference of the Organic Food Consortium
Gérald Audaz | Head of the Economic Development Sector, Eastern Neighborhood and Institution Building, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission
Laura Velasco | Senior Project Manager at “Eurochambres”
Alfredas Jonuška | Director General of the Šiauliai Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Crafts
Carmen Fernández | Project Manager at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville
12:00 - 12:30 The New Common Agricultural Policy for 2023–2027
Katarzyna Dyja | Policy Analyst at the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
12:30 - 13:00 EU Rules for Market Access of Agricultural and Food Products
Luc Van Looveren | Senior Advisor for EU Affairs at the Federation of German Industries and Commerce (DIHK)
13:00 - 14:15 Lunch
14:15 - 14:45 Enhancing Competitiveness of Agricultural Sector Entities in the Eastern Partnership Eco-Friendly Products Sector
África Romero | Food and Beverage Industry Expert
Maurizio Tomalino | President of “Consorzio Italasia Industrial Relations” and CEO of “Europe Link Business Agency S.r.l.”
14:45 - 15:15 Minimizing Food Waste - Five Youth-Submitted Scenarios
Dr. Alvija Šalaševicienė | Director of the KTU Food Institute
15:15 - 15:30 Achieved Results of EU4BCC and Bio Food Consortium Projects
Carmen Fernandes | Project Manager at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville
15:45 - 16:00 Panel Discussion: Best Practices in Implementing Organic Food Projects
Tatyana Gicheva | Project Manager at the Dobrich Chamber of Commerce and Industry / “Match&Grow,” “B2B Matching”
Piotr Lipiec | Project Manager at the Polish Chamber of Commerce / “B2BioFOOD,” “B2B Matching”
Xenia Martînov | Project Manager of the Moldova Organic Value Chain Alliance “MOVCA” / “Into the Sun,” “B2B Matching”
Luc Van Looveren | Senior Advisor for EU Affairs at the Federation of German Industries and Commerce (DIHK) / “Support for Organic Agriculture and Food Production and Export in the Zaporizhia Region, Ukraine,” “Twinning”
Moderated by: Pablo Morales | International Project Coordinator at the Chamber of Commerce of Seville
16:30 - 16:45 Session Closing
Daiva Jonuškienė | Project Manager at the Šiauliai Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Crafts
16:45 - 17:00 Coffee Break
17:00 - 17:45 Challenges and Hurdles in Transitioning to Climate-Friendly Sustainable Farming
Tomas Orlickas | Deputy Director of the National Paying Agency
Diana Šalkauskienė | Project Manager at “AgriFood Lithuania”