Track 1: Science & Innovation

How bioeconomy is transforming agriculture

Chinese young farmer harvesting in organic farm.
istock/owngarden

Timing: November 18, 8-10 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. (CET)

This workshop is split in two parts, to cover regions from both hemispheres.

Contents

Output

Workshop Recording

The recordings of part 2, which started with the breakouts, you can find here in the section of Wednesday afternoon.

Workshop Summary

A brief summary of the workshop can be dowloaded here.

You can find a video with five minutes summaries of each workshop here.

Outcome messages from the breakout group organized by Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ

Organizers

The International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research (ICABR)

Forschungszentrum Jülich, PhenoROB and Bioeconomy Science Center

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology

Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ

Biomonitor

Rutgers University

U.C. Berkeley, USA

Chairs

Carl Pray

Distinguished Professor Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics Department, State University of New Jersey

Regina Birner

Chair of Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development at the University of Hohenheim

Thematic focus

The development of the bioeconomy is influenced by two “revolutions” in science and technology: the “biological revolution” and “digital revolution”. Both revolutions have a wide range of applications in crop and livestock production and can thus enhance the productivity and environmental sustainability of producing bio-based resources for the bio-economy. To what extent such innovations will be applied depends on the way in which societies perceive these options and the policies and regulations they adopt. The workshop will benefit from the fact that the Global Bioeconomy Summit brings together professionals and stakeholders from a wide range of countries that represent different perspectives on these technologies.

The workshop’s expected outputs are:

(1) Identification of the most promising biological and digital innovations that have the potential to transform agriculture and lead to a more sustainable production of bio-based resources; and

(2) Identification of policies to promote promising innovations, taking society’s response to different innovations into account.

Format

The workshop is split into two parts to make world wide participation possible. It is not necessary to participate in part one to join part two.

After an introductory plenary part, participants will join one of the working groups (please choose during registration which one you want to join).

Agenda

All times refer to CET. Current time:

08:00 – 09:00: Plenary: Impulse talks to introduce workshop themes

08:00 – 08:05: Welcome and introduction to the Workshop

Speaker: 
Regina Birner, University of Hohenheim / Interantional Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research (ICABR)

08:05 – 08:15: The role of digital innovations in transforming agriculture

Speaker:
Ulrich Schurr, Forschungszentrum Jülich

08:15 – 08:25: The role of microbiome-based innovations in agriculture and food systems

Speaker: 
Angela Sessitsch, Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT)

08:25 – 08:35: Biological innovations, societal responses and regulatory challenges

Speaker: 
Mahaletchumy Arujanan, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)

08:35 – 08:45: How to manage the transformation of agriculture

Speaker:
Monika Schreiner, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ)

08:45 – 08:55: Questions and answers

All Speakers 

08:55 – 09:00: Move to break-out rooms for parallel sessions

09:00 – 10:00: Parallel sessions (Part 1)

16:00 – 16:05: Meet in pleanry and move to break-out rooms for parallel sessions

16:05 – 17:05: Parallel sessions (Part 2)

17:05 – 17:10: Move from break-out sessions back to plenary

17:10 – 18:00: Final Plenary Synopsis

17:00 – 17:30: Reporting back from the parallel sessions (5 Minutes per group)

Speaker:
One representative of each group

17:30 – 17:45: Joint discussion

Moderated by:
Carl Pray, Rutgers University / ICABR

17:45 – 17:55: Digital voting on most promising innovations and most important policies

Moderated by:
Regina Birner

17:55 – 18:00: Wrapping up and closure

Moderator: 
Carl Pray

Parallel working groups

During both parts of the workshop particpants will join one of the following working groups.

Organizer: Ulrich Schurr, Forschungszentrum Jülich, PhenoROB and Bioeconomy Science Center

Organizer: AIT Group

09:00 – 10:00: Morning Parallel Sessions

09:00 – 09:08: Impulse  talk 1

Speaker: Lene Lange, BioEconomy Research & Advisory, Director (DK)

09:08 – 09:16: Impulse talk 2

Speaker: Brajesh Singh, Western Sydney University, Director, Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation (AUS)

09:16 – 09:24: Impulse talk 3

Speaker: Ulrich Schurr, Research Center Jülich, Head of Institute Plant Sciences (DE)

09:24 – 09:55: Moderated discussion on potential impact of microbiome innovations

Moderater: Bettina Schelkle, EUFIC, Senior Scientist

09:55 – 10:00: Wrap-up and summary by Rapporteur

Rapporteur: Tanja Kostic, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Research Engineer

 


 

16:00 – 16:05: Meet in plenary and move to break-out rooms for parallel sessions

16:05 – 17:05: Afternoon Parallel Session

16:05 – 16:13: Impulse talk 1

Speaker: Emmanuelle Maguin, INRAE, Research Director (FR)

16:13 – 16:21: Impulse talk 2

Speaker: Yolanda Sanz, CSIC, Group Leader (ES)

16:21 – 16:55: Moderated discussion on gaps and needs related to microbiome-based R&I – policies and regulations; public and private investment opportunities

Moderater: Beatrix Wepner, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Scientist

16:55 – 17:05: Wrap-up and summary by Rapporteur

Rapporteur: Tanja Kostic, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Research Engineer

17:05 – 17:10: Move from break-out sessions back to plenary

Organizer: IGZ group

08:55 – 09:00: Move to break-out rooms for parallel sessions

09:00 – 09:04: Introduction

Moderators:
Monika Schreiner, Coordinator, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ
Philip Albers, Project Manager, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ

09:04 – 09:15: Impulse talk 1

Speaker: Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)

09:15 – 09:26: Impulse talk 2

Speaker: Christine Watson, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

09:26 – 09:55: Discussion

Panelists:
Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
Christine Watson, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
Tilman Brück, Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ)

09:55 – 10:00: Wrap-up and summary


Moderators:
Monika Schreiner, Coordinator, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ
Philip Albers, Project Manager, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ


 

16:00 – 16:05: Meet in plenary and move to break-out sessions

16:05 – 16:05: Introduction

Moderators:
Monika Schreiner, Coordinator, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ
Philip Albers, Project Manager, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ

16:05 – 16:20: Impulse talk 1

Speaker: Christian Huyghe, Scientific Director Agriculture, INRAE

16:20 – 16:35: Impulse talk 2

Speaker: Edeltraud Guenther, UNU-FLORES, DE

16:35 – 16:55: Discussion

Panelists:
Christian Huyghe, Scientific Director Agriculture, INRAE
Edeltraud Guenther, UNU-FLORES
Johannes Isselstein, University of Goettingen
Sandra Schwindenhammer, University of Giessen

16:55 – 17:00: Wrap-up and summary


Moderators:
Monika Schreiner, Coordinator, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ
Philip Albers, Project Manager, Agricultural Systems of the Future at IGZ

Organizer: BioMonitor & ICABR

08:55 – 09:00: Move to break-out rooms for parallel sessions

09:00 – 09:05: Introduction

Speaker: Justus Wesseler, Chair Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands

09:05 – 09:15: BioEconomy in Europe

Speaker: Tevecia Ronzon, Researcher at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate for Sustainable Resources, Seville, Spain

09:15 – 09:25: Hanf Farm Germany

Speaker: Rafael Dulon, CEO Hanf Farm GmbH, Melz, Germany

09:25 – 09:35: Cyanophycin from tobacco in Argentina

Speaker: Inge Broer, Professor of Agrobiotechnology, University Rostock, Germany

09:35 – 09:45: Sustainable forest in Africa

Speaker: Mads Asprem, Managing Partner, NewAfrica Impact Ltd, London, UK

09:45 – 10:00: Discussion

Moderator: Justus Wesseler

Rappoteur: Max Kardung, Researcher, Agricultural Economics and Rural Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands

Organizer: ICABR Group

16:00 – 16:05: Meet in plenary and move to break-out rooms for parallel sessions

16:05 – 16:45: What are the most important policy and regulatory issues regarding the acceleration of the bioeconomy?

Speaker: David Zilberman, Robinson Chair, Agricultural and Resource Economics, U.C. Berkeley, USA
Ruben Echeverria, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), USA
Mahaletchumy Arujanan, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)

16:45 – 16:55: Discussion with the audience

Moderator: Carl Pray, ICABR Chair, Rutgers University, USA

16:55 – 17:05: Digital voting on most important issues

Moderator: Regina Birner, University of Hohenheim, German

17:05 – 17:10: Move from break-out sessions back to plenary