The two Special Guest Speakers at the 2024 Edition
While she had an academic background in agronomic engineering, Isabelle Autissier became the first woman to sail around the world single handed in 1991. After a succession of ocean-bound adventures, she became president of WWF France in 2009. She has been Chairwoman of the Board of French Southern and Antarctic Territories since 2021.
Isabelle Autissier has been honouring us with her presence as Special Guest Speaker at medFEL 2024 and delivered an exceptional talk on the subject of “How do you navigate through a world in crisis”, hosted by Florence Rabut, editor-in-chief of the magazine Végétable.
A doctor in agricultural engineering and an agricultural economist, Tomás García Azcárate is the former head of the Fruit and Vegetable bureau at the European Commission’s DG Agri. He was behind the creation of the Producers’ Organisations and today is a member of the French Society of Agriculture and a writer for the magazine Végétable.
We welcomed Tomás García Azcárate as Special Guest Speaker at medFEL 2024. He answered questions from Olivier Masbou, associate journalist at Socopag, at a talk on the subject of “What European agricultural policy for fresh fruit and vegetables?”
WEDNESDAY 24 AVRIL 2024
10h30 – European apricot crop forecast
Followed by : Anticipation of plums plantations
14h – Is the increasing amount of plant-based food in collective catering to the benefit of fruit and vegetables
Hosted by Olivier Masbou, associate journalist at Socopag
15h30 – How to navigate through a world in crisis ?
Hosted by Florence Rabut, editor-in-chief of the magazine Végétable, with Isabelle Autissier, agronomic engineering and navigator.
16h45 – Organic: how to reinvent oneself. Conquering without going astray.
Hosted by Olivier Masbou, associate journalist at Socopag
THURSDAY 25 AVRIL 2025
10h – Can artificial intelligence revolutionise our sector ?
Hosted by Florence Rabut, editor-in-chief of the magazine Végétable.
The arrival on the market of large-scale and universally accessible artificial intelligence is a major turning point for society. Some are predicting that it will be revolutionary, and that it will be implemented faster than digital technology. The French Ministry of the Economy and Finance sees it as a “tool for innovation and competitiveness” for businesses. We are already seeing it in action: AI is influencing both our lives and the way we work. Yet the majority of businesses are still far from familiar with this technology, or even from knowing how to exploit its potential. A number of questions need to be asked: how can we move from exploratory or isolated activities to collective performance? What are the tangible benefits of AI? Can this technology help us to solve certain major challenges more quickly, such as increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables, collecting essential data at the point of sale, streamlining transactions and relations within the sector, increasing the competitiveness and profitability of models, enhancing precision farming, etc.? What are the risks and constraints in terms of data ownership and traceability? All these questions will be explored and discussed at this talk, aimed specifically at our sector!
14h30 – What European policy for fresh fruit and vegetables ?
Hosted by Olivier Masbou, associate journalist at Socopag
On the eve of the European Parliament elections, agricultural matters feature among the most sensitive. Many decisions are mired in controversy: the continued authorisation of glyphosate, the European Parliament’s rejection of the SUR regulation on pesticides, the Green Deal, Farm to Fork, the debate around new genome editing techniques, etc. During this time, the 2023-2027 CAP has come into application with a reinforced role for each Member State (with a national strategic plan) and regions (through FEADER). How do all these policies impact the production and commerce of fresh fruit and vegetables? Is there still a role for the fruit and vegetable CMO?
With Tomás García Azcárate, agricultural engineering PhD and an agricultural economist, former head of the fruit and vegetable bureau at the European Commission’s DG Agri (and behind the creation of the Producers’ Organisations), today a member of the French Society of Agriculture and a writer for the magazine Végétable.
16h – Climate change: the “new” production sectors
Hosted by Florence Rabut, editor-in-chief of the magazine Végétable
In the face of climate upheaval, our agriculture is under pressure to change course. It is already a matter of urgency, but our sectors are taking the long view. François Gemenne, one of the co-authors of the IPCC’s 6th report, urges the farming community “not to treat climate change as a crisis”, since it is “going to be with us for the rest of the century”. “It is urgent to think about the future climate of one’s region, and adapt certain agricultural models and crop types that will save water and guarantee sustainable production,” he concludes. Our sectors have already begun this transition. It is becoming increasingly apparent, particularly in the south of France, where new plantations – sometimes of new species – are being tested or introduced. Beyond the opportunistic effects, are we capable of building profitable, high-performance sectors? Do we have enough experience of agronomy and cultivation techniques for diversification crops? What knowledge do we still need to acquire? Is it possible to map out possible changes over the next ten, twenty or even thirty years ?
