The future of European agriculture took center stage at EIT Digital’s "AgriTech: Digital Innovation for a Sustainable European Agri-food Sector" event launch the latest Makers & Shapers report on Thursday 28 November 2024. During the event hosted at EIT House in Brussels energy buzzed and ideas flowed. Farmers, tech innovators, policymakers, researchers and investors came together to tackle some of the biggest challenges in the agri-food world - making farming more sustainable, efficient, and digitally savvy. With a packed agenda of including a keynote, hands-on discussions, and powerful success stories, the event showcased how technology can transform not just crops, but the entire way we think about food production and the use on technology.
Federico Menna, CEO of EIT Digital, opened the event with a compelling introduction on the role of EIT Digital and the Makers & Shapers initiative, urging collaboration across sectors to tackle agriculture's complex challenges. He officially handed over EIT Digital’s comprehensive report to the European Commission Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), reinforcing the organisation’s dedication to driving impactful change in the agri-food ecosystem.
Federico Menna, CEO of EIT Digital handing over the report to Diego Canga Fano, Acting Deputy Director-General of DG AGRI during the event.
Diego Canga Fano, Acting Deputy Director-General of DG AGRI, delivered a powerful keynote that outlined the European Commission’s strategy for advancing digital innovation in agriculture. He highlighted the critical role of research and policy in transforming these advancements into meaningful solutions for farmers and consumers, setting a clear and ambitious direction for the day’s conversations.
Cristiano Codagnone followed with a dynamic presentation of the report, showcasing data-driven insights and concrete recommendations. Drawing from his extensive experience in digital transformation and behavioural economics, Codagnone emphasized the urgent need to build innovation ecosystems that integrate AI and robotics while addressing socio-economic challenges and sustainability goals.
Andrei Lintu, Deputy Head of Unit of the European Innovation Council’s EIC Accelerator, moderating the fireside chat with Friederike and Stephan von Rundstedt founders of RoBoTec PTC GmbH.
Finally, a panel discussion brought together industry leaders, including representatives from DG AGRI, EU-fundend AgriFoodTEF, the European Economic & Social Committee (EESC), the investment firm Swaanlab Venture Factory, and AiNed. Each panelist addressed pressing topics, from funding and regulation to AI adoption and scaling challenges, while proposing bold strategies for advancing sustainability and inclusivity in agriculture. Unified by the event’s theme, they called for inclusive digitalization efforts that empower farms of all sizes and enhance environmental stewardship.
From left to right presenters: Cristiano Codagnone and Federico Menna, speakers: Orsolya Frizon Somogyi, Stoyan Tchoukanov, Xana Belastegui, Willem Jonker, Raffaele Giaffreda and Friederike and Stephan von Rundstedt presenting the report following the event.
The event closed with Federico Menna's enthusiastic remarks, an engaging audience Q&A session, and a lively networking reception. Participants representing the full knowledge triangle and beyond left energized, armed with new insights, and inspired to drive change in the European agri-food sector. The event underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration in transforming agriculture, paving the way for a sustainable and digitally advanced future.
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