The Adoption of AI in Agri-Food: Present Status and Future Direction
This topic explores the current development of AI worldwide, with a particular focus on explainable AI and its applications in agriculture and food systems. It examines how AI is transforming the agri-food sector through smart farming, precision agriculture, supply chain optimization, and sustainable food production. The topic also discusses how the Dutch agri-food sector, known for its innovation, advanced greenhouse technology, strong research institutions, and data-driven farming practices, could play a leading role in developing and applying AgriXAI. By combining agricultural expertise with transparent and trustworthy AI, the Netherlands can
Speakers
Dr. Zhen Liu is a Program Manager of Artificial Intelligent at the Wageningen Academy and Business Development Manager at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research of WUR, the Netherlands.
She holds a PhD in Innovation Management from WUR and has extensive experience in agrifood innovation, executive education, and international collaboration. Dr. Liu specializes in connecting science, industry, and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on sustainable agriculture, food systems, digital agriculture, and agrifood business development. She has designed and led numerous international executive programs, summer schools, and industry-academia partnerships involving participants from Europe, China, and other regions.
In addition to her work at WUR, she is co-founder of DeCi AgriTech, an AI-driven startup developing autonomous greenhouse growing solutions for sustainable food production.
Theodoros Matakiadis is the Head of Global Disruptive Innovation Portfolio at Bayer Crop Science, based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. With a robust background in the seed industry, he leads the development of transformational innovation products that align with business strategies and market needs.
Theodoros is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies and insights to shape the future of agricultural innovation through product development. His role involves fostering collaboration across multifunctional teams, including players from the external innovation landscape.
He is keen to connect with fellow professionals and stakeholders who share a vision for advancing sustainable practices in the industry.
Stef Maree (PhD), is programme manager Autonomous Cultivation at Wageningen Research. He focusses on bringing the latest development from the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into agriculture, helping growers to grow more sustainably and making healthy food available worldwide.
Founder of Agri-AI BV, is a pioneering force in integrating artificial intelligence within the agricultural food sector. Born and educated in China, she has lived more than 15 years in the Netherlands, the world's leading country in agri-food innovation and the 2nd largest exporter of agri-food globally. Cynthia holds a degree in Business Economics and an MBA in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Amsterdam (UvA), where her research focused on AI acceptance and adoption in Dutch agri-food business. A thought leader in the field, Cynthia serves as a columnist for leading agri-food industry journals in the Netherlands and holds a position as Visiting Professor specializing in AI applications in agriculture. Her diverse technological background includes spearheading major infrastructure projects in 4G network deployment, Fiber to the Home (FTTH), and Amsterdam's smart city initiatives. Cynthia's mission is to seamlessly integrate cutting-edge technology throughout the agri-food value chain, transforming how we produce and distribute food for a sustainable future.