AgriFood Forum 2020

About The Forum

This year has been an abnormal one for the global, European and Lithuanian agri-food ecosystem. Hence, this year’s Forum focuses on how the Lithuanian agri-food sector can turn the crisis imposed by COVID-19 into an opportunity to reimagine the food systems on more fair and sustainable foundations.

The impact of COVID-19 has accelerated adoption of digital technologies on many sectors of the economy, with agri-food being one of them. Fluctuations in both demand and supply, labour shortages and restrictions in travelling are more and more motivating all actors in the agri-food value chain to look at technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Internet of Things and Blockchain as the enablers of a more prosperous future under new circumstances.

At the same time, the Green Deal – Europe’s “Man-on-the-Moon” moment – has highlighted the need to make our food systems fairer, healthier and more environmentally-friendly. Extraordinary times require extraordinary actions. The Lithuanian agtech and foodtech ecosystem has proven its entrepreneurial spirit, technical talent and extrovert approach, but are those elements enough to bring Lithuania into the forefront of the post-COVID-19 era?

The Forum will aim to explore how all actors can work together towards a future that secures safe and adequate food and preserves the environment without leaving anyone behind.

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AgriFood Forum | DAY 1

AgriFood Forum | DAY 2

Event Speakers

Viktorija Čmilytė - Nielsen

Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania

Blaga Valentinova Popova

EC Directorate-General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG-GROW)

Antonio Novo Guerrero

President of the European Clusters Alliance and Clusters.es, Member of the EC Expert Group on Clusters

Marja-Liisa Meurice

Director of EIT Food CLC North-East

Dr. ir. George Beers

Chief coordinator of SmartAgriHubs, Wageningen

Vidmantas Janulevičius

President of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists

Augustas Alešiūnas

Business angel in AgriFood Tech, CEO at ART21

Juozas Olekas

Member of the European Parliament

Petros Kokkalis

Member of the European Parliament

Arnoldas Pranckevičius

Head of the European Commission Representation in Lithuania

Daiva Jakaitė

Head of European Parliament Liaison Office in Lithuania

Kazys Starkevičius

Member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Chairman of the Economic Committee of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania

Bronis Ropė

Member of the European Parliament

Prof. dr. Astrida Miceikienė

Chancellor of Agriculture Academy at Vytautas Magnus university

Dr. Rasa Melnikienė

Director at Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics

Tomas Orlickas

Deputy Director at the National Paying Agency

Sergejus Fedotovas

Director of the State Crop Service under the Ministry of Agriculture

Mantas Nocius

Adviser, Lithuanian Business Support Agency

Grigoris Chatzikostas

Vice President of Business Development, FoodScale Hub

Thomas Solupajev-Ronlev

Chairman of the Board, Lithuanian Robotics Association

Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė

Managing Director at AgriFood Lithuania DIH

Gintaras Vilda

International innovation ecosystems expert, ex-vice minister at Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania

Erika Tauraitė-Kavai

Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology, Expert at Smart InoTech for industry

Mantas Vilys

Director of the Lithuanian Innovation Center

Kasparas Jurgelionis

Partner at Iron Wolf Capital

Sigitas Dimaitis

Director of the Chamber of Agriculture of LR

Giedrius Bagušinskas

Managing Director of the Lithuanian Food Exporters Association

Edgaras Šakys

CEO at Agrokoncernas

Donatas Dailidė

CEO at Dojus Agro

Julius Puodžiuvelis

CEO at Scandagra Baltic

Aušrys Macijauskas

Chairman of the Lithuanian Agriculture Council

Jonas Talmantas

Chairman of the Lithuanian Farmers’ Union

Karolis Šimas

President of the Lithuanian Association of Grain Processors and Traders

Paulius Guzevičius

Director for Innovation at “Vikonda”

Dr. Artūras Jakubavičius

Lithuanian innovation centre, Head of Innovation support services department

Ruslanas Iržikevičius

The moderator of the event