Senior Scientist at Normec Groen Agro Control, Delfgauw, The Netherlands.

Dr. Adriaan Vermunt obtained his PhD at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands. He is now an expert in the field of plant diseases and genomics. At the laboratory Normec Groen Agro Control, he performed research on different plant pathogens, with the main focus on the tomato viruses PepMV and ToBRFV. Properties of the viruses were studied, PCR-assays were developed, disinfection processes were tested and hygiene protocols were made for growers.

Research Professor of Entomologist at Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Spain

Alberto, with over 30 years of experience in agricultural entomology, has made significant contributions in sustainable pest management. He has authored 400+ publications, including 171 in SCI-indexed journals, and led 21 out of 42 research projects. His expertise is widely recognized, leading to numerous keynote speeches at international conferences and over 350 presentations globally.

Alberto's commitment to knowledge transfer is evident through numerous outreach activities. He has secured 31 research contracts with agricultural companies and fostered collaborations with public institutions for practical agricultural applications. Alberto has supervised 16 doctoral theses, mentored postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and hosted research internships for over 50 individuals. He has also served in editorial roles and participated in reviewing scientific articles. Alberto's contributions extend to scientific committees, evaluation commissions, and consultancy work for organizations like FAO.

Rougui Ali holds an Executive MBA from ISCAE, a Systems Information Analyst diploma from the National School of Computer Science and Systems Analysis, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the Faculty of Sciences in Rabat.

She has held several leadership positions within the Development and Coordination Directorate, including Head of the Information Systems Division, Head of the Studies and Prospecting Department, and Head of the Monitoring Department.

Fabio holds an MBA and a PhD and is an agricultural engineer. He has developed his career within major agricultural companies worldwide, covering the entire food value chain from seeds to distribution. He has extensive expertise in marketing, R&D, commercial operations, procurement, and sales, giving him a comprehensive 360-degree perspective of the agri-food sector.

He now leads AGRICHAINS SL, a consulting agency that helps agri-food companies create the greatest possible added value for their clients across the entire supply chain, from farm to fork.

Mr. Lekjaa has spent recent years strategically positioning his institution as a "Regional Center of Excellence" and a hub for training, research, development, and agricultural innovation. The Agadir Horticulture Center of Excellence (CHE) is a world-class, high-tech facility dedicated to scientific research and technological innovation.

I have started 20 years ago at Syngenta as project manager to deliver resistant varieties to biotic stresses in Tomato. Over time, I have expanded my responsibilities.

I am now leading scientists within the three regions, Europe, Asia and Americas to develop and coordinate pre-breeding activities in Vegetable & Flowers crops. This is done in a close relation with all other roles and functions (operation, breeding, marketing & supply Chain) to deliver varieties to growers. My main accountability is to create a collaborative environment for talented people to optimize products delivery to our customers.

Dr. Hans-Christoph Behr was deputy director of AMI GmbH until December 2021 and is now head of the departments organic farming and consumer research. He is a market expert for fruit and vegetables with over 30 years of professional experience.

In addition to his work as a market analyst, he is the author of various product studies on fruit and vegetables, other specialist publications and expert opinions on policy advice for the Federal Government, the EU-Commission and the Italian market reporting agency ISMEA. He also has intensive contacts with companies and organisations in the fruit and vegetable sector and is a regular speaker at national and international events.

Lotte Adema is Product Manager at Source.ag, a leading provider of AI solutions for fruit and vegetable growers. Joining the team in 2022, Lotte spearheads the development of Source.ag’s products focusing on autonomous growing technologies. Before her tenure at Source.ag, Lotte spent five years at KLM, where she specialised in optimization projects that bring AI into the physical world. Holding a Master’s degree in Operations Research and Management Science, Lotte is deeply passionate about the intersection of mathematics and how to apply it for the greater good. Her career transition into AgTech was fueled by a profound commitment to leveraging AI for food security.

Research Entomologist at Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Spain

Starting with a degree in Agricultural Engineering in 2005 from the University of Lleida (UdL), Spain, and advancing to a PhD in Entomology in 2010 at the same institution, Dr. Pérez-Hedo has dedicated her career to the sustainable management of agricultural pests. Her work spans the management of significant pests in economically vital crops such as citrus, persimmon, pepper, and tomato, focusing on multiple agricultural pests. Dr. Pérez-Hedo has pioneered the development of a new method based on plant communication for sustainable pest and disease management. She has made important contributions to biological pest control, genetic improvement of natural enemies, and the use of dsRNA for pest management.

With a multidisciplinary background in entomology, Dr. Pérez-Hedo's work incorporates molecular biology techniques to enhance pest and disease management strategies. Her efforts have resulted in 65 SCI articles (82% Q1) and a significant number of outreach publications, with her being the first or last author in 75 of 115 publications. Knowledge transfer is a key aspect of Dr. Pérez-Hedo's career, as evidenced by over 70 outreach activities. She has supervised 4 doctoral theses, directed numerous degree and master projects, and contributed to academic courses, underscoring her educational commitment. Additionally, Dr. Pérez-Hedo holds editorial and advisory positions in scientific and technical journals and organizations, emphasizing her integral role in the entomological research community.

Dr. Nida’ Salem is a Professor in the Department of Plant Protection, School of Agriculture, University of Jordan since 2011. After earning her Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Jordan, she moved to the US and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, UC Davis and UC Riverside for almost 4 years.

She molecularly characterized the two most challenging viruses in rose plants using various biotechnologies which has contributed greatly to the understanding of the rose spring dwarf disease in California. Dr. Salem used genetic and genomics approaches to solve complex biological problems associated with agriculture all over the world such as fig mosaic disease, cowpea seedborne viruses and lettuce chlorosis virus. She worked with team of scientists from UCD, to identify novel viruses associated with Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citiri), using NGS technology and bioinformatics analysis.

Dr. Salem discovered a novel Tobamovirus infecting tomato crops in Jordan, in 2015, threatening vegetable production across the world. In 2017/2018, she spent her sabbatical at UC Davis, working on genetic engineering of plant viruses as a versatile tool to express proteins in plants. Dr. Salem has published numerous articles and manuscripts in several international journals and proceedings, including Annual Review of Phytopathology, Virology, Journal of Virology, Archives of Virology, Virus Research, Plant Pathology, New Phytologist and Plant Disease. She is a member of many international committees and has been teaching undergraduate and graduate students for almost 13 years at the University of Jordan.

Peter STRADIOT has been leading the consulting company InnoGreen for 20 years, whose activities focus on:

• Global consultancy on greenhouse vegetables.
• Collaboration with Looije Agro Technics: greenhouse construction consultancy and tools and software for plant operation visualization.
• Crop risk management (Deligrow).
• Nursery growth monitor (Propagrow).
• Plant activity with Infrared measurements (PAS).
• Business planning.

Peter Stradiot worked for over 18 years at Grodan, where he served as Director for France and Spain, overseeing not only management but also consultancy and know-how. In terms of know-how, he developed hydroponic systems including automatic irrigation, drainage recirculation, and root determination. He also created a horticultural database and invented a plant recording system.

In consultancy, Peter Stradiot was responsible for providing technical consultancy services in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, EU, Morocco, Argentina, Mexico, Pakistan, and South Korea. He has extensive experience in Spain, particularly in Almeria, and also serves as a consultant in Morocco, where he possesses in-depth knowledge of both soil-based and soilless production systems.

Mr. Said Amazouz, an Agronomist specialized in Plant Protection, graduated from the National School of Agriculture in Meknes in 1999. He began his career at Domaine Douiet in 1999, and later joined the Azura Group (Maraissa) in 2001, where he played a key role in establishing the grafted seedling nursery.

He also managed the internal nursery for vegetable seedling production. He was part of the internal auditing team within the same group and took charge of integrated pest management development.

In 2007, he joined Koppert Morocco, a subsidiary of Koppert Biological Systems, as Technical Director. He significantly contributed to developing integrated pest management in Morocco for pepper, tomato, and soft fruit crops. In 2016, he joined the Domaines Zniber Group as Technical Director overseeing tree crops, citrus, olive trees, open field crops, and soft fruits. Since 2018, he has been one of the associated owners and the manager of the Company Solutions Agricoles s.a.r.l. This company has established itself as an agro-supplier, particularly in integrated pest management, natural pollination, agricultural nets, plant nutrition, and biopesticides. He is also an independent producer, expert, and accredited private agricultural advisor.

Mr. Said Ouraich, an Agronomist specialized in Plant Protection, graduated from the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute in Rabat in 1999. He began his career at Maraissa (part of the Azura Group) as a Farm Manager and member of the technical staff.

He then joined the Kabbage Group (GPA) as Production Manager. He then moved on to Gautier Semences seed company and later to BASF Morocco, where he served as Development Manager.

With extensive experience in seed and phytosanitary product development, he took on various roles within the greenhouse and open-field vegetable production group Van Oers United, its subsidiary in Morocco Quality Bean, and its African subsidiaries. For over 6 years, he has been the Production Director at Duroc, a major player in cherry tomato production and exportation.

People-oriented and results-driven Managing Director with 10 years of experience in large-scale Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Skilled in business development, operational excellence, and team development, with a clear vision for creating impact and a strong interest in autonomous growing technologies. Startup mentor and enthusiastic leader committed to sustainable farming.

Currently serving as Managing Director of AgroCare Maroc (since Jan 2022), developing sustainable farming operations in the Agadir region and managing strategic partnerships and business development. Also Managing Director of AgroCare BU Zeeland (since Jan 2021), overseeing operations across four countries, seven locations, and 1,500 employees, producing tomatoes year-round for the European retail sector with respect for nature and people.