The Thessaly AgriBusiness Forum 2025 highlighted the strategic importance of Thessaly to the Greek economy, with the region’s primary and secondary sectors contributing over 30% of its GDP. The conference emphasized the need for a Radical System Redefinition of the agri-food model to address the impacts of the climate crisis (Daniel/Ianos floods) and severe sanitary challenges in livestock.
8th International AgriBusiness Forum, Athens, 18–19 March 2026
“The Agrifood Sector in the New Geopolitical Environment”
At a time of intensifying geopolitical complexity and systemic uncertainty, the agrifood sector is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of strategic resilience, food sovereignty, social cohesion, and international stability. As global interdependencies deepen, the sector faces mounting pressures stemming from food security risks, disruptions in trade and supply chains, the imperative of energy transition, and the accelerating impacts of climate change.
Within this context, the 8th International AgriBusiness Forum convened in Athens on 18–19 March 2026, reaffirming its role as a high-level platform for dialogue, reflection, and forward-looking policy engagement. The Forum addressed the evolving geopolitical and environmental landscape and its implications for agrifood systems at national, regional, and global levels. The Forum featured 8 plenary sessions, bringing together 50 distinguished speakers from international organizations, EU and national institutions, academia, the private sector, and the primary production community. The event welcomed 260 participants from Greece and abroad, fostering a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral exchange of perspectives.
Deliberations focused on critical thematic pillars. Three sessions examined “Geopolitics and Food Security”, with particular emphasis on the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean, Central Asia, and the broader international system. Four sessions explored “Strategic Approaches”, addressing key priorities including digital sovereignty and cybersecurity, innovation and emerging technologies, traceability and resilient supply chains, as well as climate action, environmental sustainability, the energy transition, and the advancement of the green economy. Particular attention was given to research, skills development, and the strengthening of synergies across the primary sector, agri-food industry, and academic ecosystems. A dedicated session reviewed the institutional trajectory and impact of the AgriBusiness Forum since 2018, alongside the key outcomes of the Thessaly AgriBusiness Forum 2025, reinforcing continuity and strategic alignment across initiatives.
In the framework of its international partnerships, the Forum facilitated high-level diplomatic engagement through official receptions co-hosted with the Embassy of Azerbaijan (18 March) and the Embassy of Albania (19 March). On the occasion of the latter, H.E. Ambassador Ms. Luela Hajdaraga and the Chair of the AgriBusiness Forum, Mr. Giannis Balakakis, formalized a Memorandum of Cooperation establishing the Tirana AgriBusiness Forum as a dedicated regional platform for the Western Balkans. The inaugural edition is scheduled for October 2026, in Tirana, marking a significant step towards enhanced regional cooperation and integration.
Key Message: The agrifood sector is not merely a component of the economy. It is a fundamental driver of stability, growth, and peace. In an era defined by volatility and transformation, investing in resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, strengthening multilateral cooperation, advancing knowledge exchange, promoting policy coherence, and harnessing innovation and digital transformation are essential to addressing global challenges. Such efforts can effectively convert systemic risks into opportunities for inclusive growth, reinforcing the sector’s role as a driver of long-term prosperity and security for societies worldwide.
The AgriBusiness Forum: Since 2018, the AgriBusiness Forum has evolved into a leading platform at the intersection of agritech, policy dialogue, and multi-stakeholder engagement. It serves as a catalyst for knowledge transfer, strategic partnerships, and the modernization of agrifood systems, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation and sustainability. Its track record includes 13 international & regional conferences, 2 masterclasses and 2 innovation competitions promoting entrepreneurship, as well as 3 international missions, bringing together over 9,000 participants and 500 speakers from Greece and across the globe. It maintains active collaborations with leading European, regional, and international institutions and organizations, further consolidating its role as a hub of influence and cooperation in the agrifood domain.
The reports of the Forum will soon be available from the Agricultural University of Athens, Scientific Partner of the AgriBusiness Forum, while the sessions’ video recordings will be uploaded to the Forum’s YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
The 8th International AgriBusiness Forum on the “Agri-Food Sector in the New Geopolitical Environment” will take place at Sarogleion Megaron, in Athens, on 18–19/3/2026. This edition examines geopolitical and environmental disruptions and their implications for agrifood systems in Greece and the world. Across 6 plenary sessions, 40+ distinguished representatives from academia, business, diplomacy, and the agricultural sector will address productivity, resilience, and food security in an era of climate crisis, geopolitical tensions, and heightened uncertainty.
Stay tuned:
https://agribusinessforum.org/2026abf-athens/
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