An insight and overview of current consumer concerns and preferences in Europe with a special focus on Germany.

Sustainable value creation is a transition process that requires the participation of all parties involved in the food chain. A great number of system innovations are needed to overcome the barriers and solve the problems we encounter on the road to a better future. To attain a better understanding of the transition process and how to deal with the significant changes in the food chain, we need more insight into the influence of stakeholders on sustainable value creation and on strategies to make this happen. We also need to better understand the path to bridging the future. Scenario planning is a way to do this.

Technological innovation continues to play a pivotal role in ensuring food security and improving production. It is technology that allows an increasing globalization of the food supply and technology that can answer the demand for more transparency in food production and origins. In many countries regulations are in place, or will be soon in place, that will require traceability throughout the food chain. Control over how food is produced and compliance with safety, environmental and social requirements are important not only to avoid problems, but also to maintain customer confidence. Are all players in tune with building sustainable value in the supply chain? Are these changes contributing to improvements in production processes and the final product? What kinds of changes are occurring in the relationships between different supply chain players? During this session, we will hear the answers to these questions and discuss how different participants in the food chain have implemented innovations and evaluated their impacts.

For developing countries, gaining access to the markets of developed countries for their agricultural products represents a very important source of financial resources. This is particularly valid for high value or niche market products. However, access to these markets also means that exported production must comply with increasingly sophisticated regulations and additional requests from retailers and the food industry. The adoption of traceability and certification schemes can serve as a market opener, particularly for fresh food. During this session, we will hear from experts and business representatives on how this challenge can be translated into a market opportunity.

The export of non-traditional products, including fruits, vegetables, flowers and fish products from developing to developed countries has increased rapidly. The annual export value of these products amounts to tens of billions of dollars. These exports provide income to millions of small farmers, fishermen and workers in farms and handling plants. Demand in developing countries provides both opportunities and major challenges for developing countries. Since most of these products are fresh and perishable, major handling and logistics efforts are necessary and sanitary restrictions pose major challenges for producers, exporters and buyers. This session will provide information about the major trends in imports and retailing of products from developing countries. A manager of an international supermarket chain, an entrepreneur from Zambia and an analyst from the World bank will explain the opportunities and challenges faced by both producers and exporters.

5:45PM – 6:00PM (Miles Davis Room)
Presentation: The State of Vaud

Facts about food-related risks, such as the safety of genetically modified products, may be diametrically opposed to consumer perceptions. Consumer reaction to these products also differs in different parts of the world. Communication and information sharing is essential to understanding these issues at every level. There are examples of increases in consumer confidence when information about a new or controversial product has been shared. Furthermore, transparency can improve confidence in traditional foods. Providing information about the origin of foods, as well as the processes along the entire food chain, supports the perception of good food quality and safety. During this session, we will discuss situations where inconsistencies between perception and scientific fact existed and how consumer confidence was subsequently improved.

New trends are appearing in how the public buys and consumes food. Organic and functional foods are already very popular in some parts of the world. Could these "natural" foods be healthier, and could they reduce certain problems of modern society, such as obesity? How are large companies handling these changes? What is coming next? How can consumers be influenced? For example, how did seeing millions of healthy animals destroyed in order to control disease impact consumer behaviour? How will safety concerns affect buying trends? In this session, invited speakers will discuss these questions and potential future trends. The audience will be encouraged to contribute to this discussion in an open format.

In May 2004, the European Union will be extended with 10 new member states. Food chains in Europe are preparing for the economic and social consequences of this enlargement. In this session, the preparation activities and first experiences will be discussed. After a general overview of the consequences on macro level, earlier experiences of EU enlargement and business cases will be presented. This session will also discuss the impacts that EU enlargement will have on value creation, and will provide insight into the consequences and experiences of issues such as human capital and capacity building, technology transfer, investment, and the social and economic effects on citizens of the new member states.

The moderator will give a brief introduction summarizing the key messages of the conferences and providing the frame for this panel discussion. The panelists, composed of top representatives from industry, professional associations and academia, will discuss essential steps in creating, maintaining and extracting value along the supply chain in a globalizing market.

Bridge Session

2:45PM - 4:15PM (Miles Davis Room)
Bridge Session: Swiss Agri-Food Chain Platform
Moderator: Beat Kappeler, Journalist, Neue Zürcher Zeitung am Sonntag & Le Temps, Geneva
Presenter: Aalt Dijkhuizen, Executive Board President, Wageningen University
Presenter: Manfred Bötsch, Director, Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture
Presenter: Stefan Tangermann, Director Food Agriculture and Fisheries, OECD

Agricultural markets no longer operate in isolation. Reforms to liberalize agricultural markets have been implemented within the WTO, the EU and individual nations. This evolution is affecting Switzerland as an increasing number of products receive access to the Swiss food market. A presentation of the transition process of Dutch agriculture will provide insights on how a relatively small country can compete on the global market. The status and outlook of the peculiar agriculture situation in Switzerland will also be presented. These introductory presentations will provide the framework for the following panel discussion that will address the question: Making food production and the Swiss food industry competitive.

4:45PM – 6:15PM (Miles Davis Room)
Panel Discussion: Making Food Production and the Swiss Food Industry Competitive
Presenter: J. Bourgeois, Direktor, Schweizerischer Bauernverband
Presenter: Marek Luczak, Syngenta Agro AG
Presenter: Urs Egli, Master of Agriculture, Hilcona AG
Presenter: Jürg Bussmann, Directeur, Swiss Wine Communication SA
Presenter: Beat Hodler, Secretary, Swiss Food Industry Federation

During this panel, representatives of the Swiss food industry will develop a shared vision on how to make Swiss products more attractive and competitive for internal and external markets. This is a challenge for the entire Swiss food chain – from seed and crop-protection suppliers to farmers and retailers. Players in Switzerland are accustomed to a very protected market and now they are confronted with the need to move beyond Swiss consumers and compete in the global marketplace.

6:15PM – 6:45PM (Miles Davis Room)
Opening Remarks and Welcome
Hans Jöhr, IAMA President
Joseph Deiss, President of the Swiss Confederation
Jacqueline Maurer, President of the Government and Minister of Economy, State of Vaud
Pierre Salvi, Mayor, Town of Montreux

On a global basis, both the educational institutions involved in providing education and the firms hiring students continue to evolve in a dynamic food and agribusiness system. This session will explore the issues, challenges, and structural, organizational, and market shifts that have taken place, and the meaning and implications for the educational institutions responsible for training future leaders. The session will begin with an overview and summary of a U.S. survey conducted by the National Food and Agribusiness Management Education Commission of the members of its Industry Steering Committee – senior executives from U.S. food and agribusiness firms. This initial presentation, which is intended to provide a beginning point for discussion, will be followed by a response and discussion by a panel made up of academic and industry representatives who will identify strategies and options for future agribusiness education programs on a global basis.