The Women in Food & Agribusiness Global Summit & Awards 2026 will take place in London, United Kingdom, from 28–30 October 2026.

Join leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, researchers and innovators from around the world for three days of insightful discussions, strategic networking and global collaboration focused on shaping the future of food systems.

For more than a decade, Women in Food & Agribusiness has brought together women and allies across the food and agribusiness sectors through global summits, leadership programmes, fellowships, incubators, media initiatives and industry awards. The 2026 Global Summit & Awards continues this legacy by providing a platform for bold ideas, meaningful connections and practical solutions.

Get involved:

• 🎤 Apply to speak: https://wifaiglobal.com/speaker
• 🏆 Submit an award nomination: https://wifaiawards.com/nomination-form/
• ⚖️ Apply to join the Global Awards Jury: https://wifaiawards.com/jury-application/
• 🎟️ Register your interest: https://globalwifai.eventbrite.co.uk

Freshfel Europe is organising a webinar on the upcoming application of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

🗓️ Date: 9 July 2026
🕘 Time: 09:30–11:00 CEST
💻 Format: Online

The session will cover:

– key takeaways from the PPWR expert group meeting held on 1 July;
– how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems function in different EU Member States.

This may be particularly useful for companies, producer organisations and support actors working with fresh fruit and vegetable value chains, especially those dealing with export packaging, transport packaging, labels, cartons, plastics or other packaging materials for the EU market.

👉 Register here:

https://form.jotform.com/261762959295373

💬 Is your business or organisation already preparing for the new EU packaging requirements? What are your main questions or concerns regarding packaging compliance, costs, recycling, or EPR systems? Share them in the comments.

This opportunity is particularly relevant for actors working on food security, smallholder agriculture, rural livelihoods, climate resilience, women and girls’ empowerment, and inclusive food systems.

⚠️ Important to note: this is not a direct grant opportunity for individual SMEs, producer organisations, NGOs or entrepreneurs.

Proposals must be submitted by eligible country governments, in partnership with an approved supervising entity.

However, Agrinnovators members can still play an important role by:

• engaging with relevant ministries or national platforms;
• sharing field-level challenges and evidence;
• contributing to consultations where available;
• positioning their organisations as potential implementation or knowledge partners.

🗓️ Submission deadline: 15 September 2026

👉 More information:
https://www.gafspfund.org/9th-call-proposals

📋Agenda

Moderation: Celestina Brenes, Technical Specialist in Bioeconomy, IICA 
8:00-8:05    Opening 
8:05-8:15     Introduction remarks 
-    Jeremy Knops, General Delegate, COLEAD
-    TBC, IICA
8:15-8:30    Keynote 
-    Hugo Chavarria, Director of the Bioeconomy Program, IICA
8:30-8:35     Q&A 
8:35-9:00    Startups panel 
-    APASOMICS – Costa Rica
-    SOS Biotech – Dominican Republic
-    Skin Graft – U.S.-based
-    RefruBio – Colombia
9:00-9:05     Q&A
9:05-9:30    Institutional support panel 
-    Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute
-    Latin American Bioeconomy Network
-    University of Costa Rica, CEIBA Project
9:30-9:35     Q&A 
9:35-9:40     Closing remarks
-    Nina Desanlis-Perrin, Project Officer, COLEAD

Themes
• Bioinputs
• Sustainable management of agricultural plastics

Who can apply?
Public institutions, producer organizations, cooperatives, companies, universities, research centres, networks, and other actors working in food systems.

Eligibility
Your experience must:

• Have been implemented for at least two years
• Show demonstrable results
• Include verifiable evidence
• Be developed in Latin America and the Caribbean

Why participate?
Selected experiences will contribute to regional studies, knowledge products, technical exchanges, and cooperation initiatives led by FAO.

Key dates
📅 29 June 2026 – Call opens
📅 14 August 2026 – Deadline for inquiries
📅 31 August 2026 – Application deadline

How to apply

Visit this link for more information on how to apply: https://www.fao.org/americas/events/event-detail/experiencias-que-transforman/en

Drawing on experiences from entrepreneurs and experts in Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Trinidad, the discussion showcased practical examples of regenerative farming, agroforestry, permaculture, biodiversity-based pest management, renewable energy integration, and participatory research. Speakers demonstrated how these approaches can help restore degraded soils, improve water retention, enhance biodiversity, increase resilience to climate shocks, and strengthen local food systems.

A recurring message throughout the webinar was that agroecology is not a one-size-fits-all solution. While many Caribbean farming systems already incorporate agroecological principles, successful implementation depends on adapting practices to local ecological, social, and economic realities. Panellists emphasized that healthy soils and ecological diversity are the foundation of resilient farming systems, but that scaling sustainable practices also requires knowledge exchange, innovation, technical support, supportive policies, and viable business models. Ultimately, the discussion highlighted agroecology as both a practical and systemic approach to strengthening the long-term sustainability, productivity, and resilience of Caribbean agriculture.

Highlights and recordings are available on Agrinnovators: https://agrinnovators.org/innovation-session/caribbean-agrifood-business-session-n21/ 

Join the next PAFO–COLEAD Innovations Session on 7 July 2026, from 12:00 to 14:00 UTC, online via Zoom.

Session N°27:
Empowering Youth and Women in Agrifood: Bridging Entrepreneurship and Job Creation for Sustainable Impact

We will explore how youth- and women-led agrifood businesses can grow, create income and generate decent jobs — and how skills, mentorship, finance, markets and networks can open better opportunities across value chains.

📅 7 July 2026
🕛 12:00–14:00 UTC
💻 Online via Zoom

👉 Register here: https://coleacp-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1uVz7vDLRyyilhA54ZiCEw#/registration

Are you interested in the future of smart and sustainable greenhouse systems?

The GreenSys2027 – International Symposium on Smart and Sustainable Greenhouse Systems will take place from 6 to 10 June 2027.

This event will bring together participants from academia, industry, start-ups, large-scale companies and other professionals working or interested in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).

The symposium will focus on the latest knowledge and innovations in areas such as greenhouse technologies, crop management, resilient production systems and integrated sustainable solutions.

It will also be an opportunity to connect science and industry, exchange experiences, and discuss the future of sustainable CEA systems.

📅 Date: 6–10 June 2027
🌱 Theme: Smart and sustainable greenhouse systems
🔗 More information: https://www.greensys2027.com/home

Would you like to learn more about innovations in greenhouse production and controlled environment agriculture?

This first session will explore the current bioeconomy landscape, highlight key market opportunities, and showcase practical experiences from bioinput businesses, startups, incubators, and research institution

Topics include:
Bioeconomy opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean
Innovation and sustainable business models
Financing and support mechanisms
Experiences from startups and support institutions

The webinar will take place online on Wednesday 8 July 2026, from 14:00 to 15:45 UTC (online time conversion tool).

Live interpretation in English and Spanish will be available.

REGISTER NOW: https://iica.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cllSyuHAT8yIYBTdWe_H7g#/registration