Over the two days of the Lisbon Agri Conferences, more than 20 speakers took the stage in the auditorium of the Centro Cultural de Belém, in Lisbon, to share knowledge about various areas of the agri-food sector. Challenges such as climate change or the fight against food waste, new trends in consumption and technological discoveries that are changing the way we work in the field were identified by experts who indicated solutions and strategies for a more modern and competitive agriculture, capable of producing with increasing efficiency and quality.
Agrovoltaic projects, which combine the use of solar energy through panels placed on agricultural fields, while providing shade and possible water savings to the soil; the commitment to regenerative agriculture as a profitable alternative to traditional methods, the risks and advantages of carbon credits for the agricultural world and the increasing importance of technology and artificial intelligence in measuring results and capturing data, were paths highlighted as alternatives for the future.
On this second day of the third edition of Lisbon Agri Cinferences, the speakers were Ondina Afonso, president of the Continente Producers Club; Matthew Corbett, founder and partner of Fiera Comox, in the area of agriculture; Paul McMahon, managing partner at SLM Partners, in the USA; Gianluca Boccanera, global managing director of Starlight, a NextEnergy group company, in Italy; Jeroen Meerburg, director of Rabobank’s Carbon Bank, in the Netherlands and Julio Audicana, professor at San Telmo Business School, in Spain.
At the closing ceremony, Francisco Avillez, professor emeritus at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia at the Technical University of Lisbon, delivered the first Lisbon Agri Conferences Award which distinguished the Confederation of Farmers of Portugal (CAP), in a demonstration of recognition for its 50 years “of dedication to defending the Portuguese agricultural world, praising its resilience, economic, social and environmental sustainability”. The honor was received by CAP representatives, Álvaro Mendonça e Moura and Luís Mira, respectively president and general director of the organization.
In the end, Luis Folque, one of the organizers of the event, announced the next edition of the conferences, which will take place next year, for the first time, in Madrid, returning to Lisbon in 2027.
Discover the main conclusions of this last day of conferences and read more in the next paper edition of Expresso.
- In initiatives to combat food waste, projects such as the Waste Fair Platform, by the Continente Producers Club, were shared, which promotes the reuse of products, or parts of products, that cannot be sold. Dehydrated fruit or apple cider vinegar from Alcobaça are examples of these practices.
- Acceptance by the local community is a fundamental factor, highlighted by Gianluca Boccanera for the success of agrovoltaic projects, which use solar panels integrated into agricultural properties. “The installation of solar panels on properties is sometimes not well understood, so more time needs to be spent explaining and educating in this regard. It is essential to recognize the importance that these projects have for the local community, not only in terms of landscape, but also in the local environment”, he acknowledges.
Investment opportunities
- “The Iberian Peninsula is attracting more and more investors in agriculture.” This is said by Matthew Corbett, who points to the existence of efficient farmers, important and differentiating crops and leadership in sustainable practices, especially in labor conditions and regulations, as reasons for this interest.
- Paul McMahon reinforced that regenerative agriculture is for real farmers and is happening, with an economic return as interesting as traditional agriculture. “Reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides can mean a 10 to 20% reduction in costs,” he says.
Where more knowledge is still needed
- The carbon credit market still arouses some distrust and its complexity deters investors, but for Jeroen Meerburg it is far from being a myth than a reality and believes it will have a future in the agricultural sector. “I recommend starting to learn about this market and see what you can do as farmers and entrepreneurs because it will be important in the value chain as a whole. Leading this process is not easy, but it is good that Europe is doing it”, he believes.
- In his final statements, Julio Audicana stated that “the entire food chain has left its comfort zone”. “We have a macroeconomy with tariffs, volatility and we are at a time where we don’t know who is in charge here. We have to take into account the importance of consumer income and what is left for food, after other expenses”, he concludes.
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