Two incredible days (21-22 October 2025) of connection, collaboration, and innovation! Once again, Synergy Days, organised by SmartAgriHubs, brought together Europe’s most dynamic agri-food and digital communities, with FCI4Africa joining forces with partners and innovators at this year’s inspiring edition in Rotterdam.
Representing FCI4Africa at the heart of Europe’s digital agri-food ecosystem
As two of the event organisers, reframe.food and Wageningen University & Research, both partners of FCI4Africa, played a pivotal role in shaping this year’s programme and fostering meaningful exchanges across Europe’s agri-food innovation community.
At the FCI4Africa booth, visitors had the opportunity to connect with project representatives from across the Consortium:
- Thanos Arampatzis and Lia Kesopoulou (reframe.food)
- Prof. Dr. Gertrud Buchenrieder and Dr. Emmanuel Benjamin (University of Bundeswehr Munich)
- Peter Schelstraete and Fabiola Rezende (Ubuntoo)
- Sabine Desczka and Dr. Gijs Kleter (Wageningen University & Research)
Throughout the two days, our booth became a vibrant meeting point; a space where ideas on food convergence innovation, digital solutions, and cross-continental collaboration came together to explore new ways to strengthen both African and European food systems.
Pitching FCI4Africa’s vision for fair and resilient food systems
In a dynamic pitch presentation, Emmanuel Benjamin highlighted how FCI4Africa is building fair, resilient, and climate-smart food systems through food convergence innovation. His presentation emphasised the project’s collaborative spirit that bridges technology, research, and real-world applications to empower actors across the food value chain.
Co-creating climate-neutral food systems with AfroGrow
One of the major highlights of Synergy Days was the joint workshop organised by FCI4Africa and AfroGrow, titled “Co-creating Climate-Neutral Food Systems with Living Labs and Food Convergence Innovation”.
The session brought together innovators, researchers, and stakeholders to explore how collaboration and digitalisation can accelerate the transition toward climate-neutral food systems.
Key takeaways included:
- The strong need for integrated and interoperable platforms, connecting and serving actors from farm to policy.
- Recognition of the Open Innovation & Demonstration Platform and AfroGrow Platform as vital entry points for co-creation, testing, and community-led innovation.
- Synergies between Traceability Solutions, the Product–Trait Inventory, and the AfroGrow App, supporting transparency and market access for smallholders.
- The importance of the E-learning Platform and Digital Knowledge Hub in ensuring digital tool adoption by researchers, SMEs, and youth.
- The foundational role of tools like the Decision-Support System, Evidence-Based Analytics Tool, and Trade Models in helping actors plan, forecast, and comply with evolving trade and safety standards.
Engaging with thought leaders and partners
We were honoured to welcome several distinguished guests and collaborators to our booth, including:
Joost de Laat, Managing Director, Social Sciences Group, Wageningen University & Research
Roald Lapperre, Secretary General, Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature
Sjoukje Heimovaara, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
Jesper Stendal Sørensen, AgData Partnership
Henry van Burgsteden, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Sjaak Wolfert, Coordinator, SmartAgriHubs
Their insights and perspectives further reinforced the importance of connecting digital innovation with on-the-ground needs in Africa and beyond.
Strengthening collaboration with AfroGrow
A key milestone of the event was the signing of a Letter of Intent between FCI4Africa and AfroGrow, marking a decisive step toward cooperation in advancing climate-neutral and innovation-driven food systems in Africa. This partnership embodies the shared commitment of both initiatives to co-create scalable, sustainable, and inclusive solutions for the continent’s agri-food future.
Looking ahead
Synergy Days 2025 was a reminder of how powerful collaboration can be when driven by shared purpose and innovation. For FCI4Africa, the event was more than a networking opportunity. It was a catalyst for new partnerships, stronger ecosystems, and actionable ideas that will shape the project’s journey forward.
Stay tuned! More photos and videos from our Synergy Days experience are coming soon.
