The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT organise the Food & Nature Forum: Turning Science into Action for Food Systems Transformation at Maison de la Poste, Tour & Taxis, Brussels, as part of Brussels Climate Week 2026 (12–16 October).
The Forum brings together researchers, European policymakers, development organisations, investors, private-sector actors and innovation partners to explore how scientific knowledge can be translated into practical solutions for more resilient, diverse and sustainable agrifood systems.
Discussions focuses on soil health, agrobiodiversity and opportunity crops, deforestation-free value chains, financing nature-positive agriculture and scaling research-based innovations. A central question will be how to move beyond fragmented research findings and isolated pilot projects towards investments, policies and partnerships that enable implementation at scale.
09:00–09:25 Opening and keynote: Science, partnerships and investment
Opening reflections will examine how science, international cooperation and investment can contribute to resilient and sustainable food and land systems.
- Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
- Annemarie Van der Avort, Director of Environment and Climate, Belgian Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
09:30–10:30 Panel 1 – From Soil Knowledge to Action: Turning Evidence into Locally Adapted Solutions
With scene-setting by KU Leuven, the panel will compare experiences across Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, examining soil degradation, declining fertility, climate shocks and fertiliser dependency. It will explore how soil-health research can inform locally adapted solutions and how successful approaches can be financed and scaled.
- Stephanie Speck, Global Director, Strategic Partnerships, Engagement & Communications, Alliance
- Job Kihara, Principal Scientist, Soil and Water Management, Alliance
- Luis Sánchez Álvarez, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
- Dr Ellen Desie, Professor, KU Leuven.
11:00–12:30 Closed-door roundtable – Advancing Traceable and Deforestation-Free Agricultural Value Chains
This invitation-based discussion will bring together selected public, private and research actors to examine implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), focusing on coffee and cocoa supply chains. Issues include traceability, data interoperability, smallholder inclusion, ecosystem-service verification and opportunities to generate additional value for producers.
14:00–15:00 Panel 2 – Opportunity Crops for Agrobiodiversity-Based Food Systems
The panel will address how neglected, underutilised and locally adapted crops can contribute to diversified food systems, healthier diets and rural livelihoods. It will explore the role of farmer knowledge, seed systems, processing, consumer demand, private-sector engagement and investment in expanding the cultivation and commercialisation of opportunity crops.
- Carlo Fadda, Director, Agrobiodiversity, Alliance
- Francesca Grazioli, Scientist, Alliance
- Gloria Otieno, Scientist, Alliance
- Filip Vandelook, Director of Science, Meise Botanic Garden
- Christophe Larose, Head of Sector, Sustainable Agriculture, DG International Partnerships, European Commission
- Beatrice Egulu, Policy Officer, Agriculture and Rural Development, African Union Commission;
- Thomas Lopes, Research and Innovation Brokerage Manager, COLEAD.
15:00–16:00 Panel 3 – Using Science to Mobilize Finance for Nature
Led by CGIAR's ImpactSF initiative, the session will explore how research evidence can reduce investment risks and attract finance for nature-positive agricultural practices. It will examine mechanisms for directing capital towards smallholder farmers while generating measurable environmental, climate and livelihood benefits.
- Martina Melchiori, Senior Impact Officer, CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF);
- Marcela Quintero, Associate Director General, Research Strategy and Innovation, Alliance;
- Godefroy Grosjean, CGIAR Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF) Co-Lead;
- Noémie Renier, Chief Commercial Officer, Incofin;
- Julie Loyson, ESG Risk & Impact Lead, AGRI3;
- Julius Kalulu, CEO, Just Know Your Coffee Cup (JKCC);
- Koen Van Troos, Manager, International Partnerships & Communication, BIO;
- Maike Möllers, Head of the CompensACTION Secretariat.
16:15–17:15 Panel 4 – Scaling Science-Based Innovations: From Lab to Market
Led by the Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP), the panel will examine how agricultural research innovations can move beyond laboratory development and pilot projects towards commercialisation and widespread adoption. Discussions will address technology validation, entrepreneurship, investment readiness, partnerships and market access, with particular attention to connecting research organisations, startups, investors and agricultural end users.
- Gianpiero Menza, Senior Manager, Partnerships & Innovative Finance, Alliance
- Koen Dekeyser, Policy Analyst, ECDPM
- Vincenzo Lorusso, Policy Officer, International Cooperation, DG Research & Innovation, European Commission;
- Frida Koslowski, Co-Founder and Director, Kindling Venture;
- Aziza Inoubli, Innovation and Venture Ecosystem Advisor.
Nature Day and the Innovation Expo
Alongside the Forum, the Alliance will contribute to Brussels Climate Week's Nature Day plenary on Agriculture, Land & Food Systems (14:00–15:00), with Stephanie Speck among the listed contributors. The session will explore regenerative agriculture, land restoration, water resilience, traceability, digital solutions and sustainable finance.
At the Nature Day Expo (09:00–17:30), the Alliance will showcase two initiatives:
- International Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (09:00–12:30): Hosted by KU Leuven, this collection of more than 1,700 banana accessions supports crop conservation, research and resilience against pests, diseases and climate stresses.
- Cacao of Excellence (14:00–17:30): An initiative connecting cacao genetic diversity, quality assessment, flavour recognition and market opportunities for producers.
11:00am – 12:30pm De-risking the Path to Resilience. Exploring financial mechanisms that can support the farmers’ transition to sustainable agriculture
bringing together more than 190 members from the food and beverage industry to advance sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
developing common principles, indicators and practices. SAI Platform subsequently launched its Regenerating Together framework in 2023 to support consistent measurement and implementation of regenerative agriculture across different commodities and regions.
- Katie Hoard, Global VP Sustainability Operations, AB InBev
- Nikolai Porkhov, Public Affairs & Outreach Director, SAI Platform
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