Los Angeles – 4:00 AM
New York – 7:00 AM
São Paulo – 8:00 AM
South Africa – 1:00 PM
Shanghai – 6:00 PM
New Zealand – 11:00 PM

🇵🇰 Pakistan – 4:00 PM

Mubashir Mehdi
MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan)
Prof. Dr. Mubashir Mehdi is a well‑published academic expert in agribusiness and value‑chain development, currently serving as a Professor at the MNS university of Agriculture Multan. Specializes in value chain analysis and agribusiness systems, especially for crops such as mangoes, pulses (chickpeas, lentils), potatoes, and citrus. I covered Research themes include market linkages, export competitiveness, consumer preferences, price volatility, and sustainable supply chains with a social upgrading lens. Published more than 40 journal articles, one book and 9 book chapters in the area of agribusiness management. I have been honoured to give international talks across the world and chaired conference sessions.

Demonstrating Digital Value Chain Solutions and Implications for the Smallholders Pulses Farmers in Pakistan
Prof. Dr. Mubashir Mehdi’s research focuses on agribusiness, agricultural value chains, and rural development. He has conducted extensive studies on high-value crops such as pulses, citrus, mangoes, and potatoes, emphasizing value chain analysis, market linkages, and export competitiveness. His work supports smallholder inclusion through participatory methods and policy-relevant research that addresses production, marketing, and institutional constraints. He has published in reputed journals and led projects funded by national and international agencies, promoting sustainable agriculture and food security. His recent work explores consumer preferences, social upgrading in supply chains, and the role of digital platforms in agrifood systems. Dr. Mehdi’s research bridges academic inquiry and practical application, contributing significantly to agribusiness development in Pakistan and the broader South Asian region

Co-authors: Burhan Ahamd, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan); Rajendra Adhikari, The University of Queensland (Australia)

Los Angeles – 4:30 AM
New York – 7:30 AM
São Paulo – 8:30 AM
South Africa – 1:30 PM
Shanghai – 6:30 PM
New Zealand – 11:30 PM

🇵🇰 Pakistan – 4:30 PM

Burhan Ahmad
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Pakistan)
Dr. Burhan Ahmad is a Tenured Associate Professor at the Institute of Business Management Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. He earned his PhD in Economics from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) in 2014. His research interests include international trade, agricultural value chains, market functioning, entrepreneurship, and foreign direct investment. He has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and five book chapters, and contributed to major research projects funded by HEC, ACIAR, and ICDD. Dr. Ahmad teaches international trade, business research methods, marketing, and value chains, and supervises graduate research. He actively conducts training on marketing, gender inclusion, and biosafety, and has presented in numerous national and international forums. His work promotes inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems in Pakistan.

Effects of Participatory Approach on Value Chain Development of Pulses in Pakistan: Problems and Prospects
Dr. Burhan Ahmad’s research focuses on international agricultural trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), market integration, Price Volatility and inclusive value chain development. His doctoral work examined trade, FDI, and market dynamics in Pakistan using advanced econometric modeling. He has published extensively on export competitiveness, market behavior, and the economic implications of global trade policies. A significant part of his applied research involves value chain assessments for key crops like mangoes, citrus, and pulses. As a lead researcher in the ACIAR-funded project on pulses, he explores participatory approaches to enhance smallholder inclusion and supply chain efficiency. His work bridges academic inquiry and policy relevance, aiming to foster sustainable, equitable, and market-oriented agricultural systems in Pakistan and similar developing economies.

Co-authors: Mubashir Mehdi, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan); Rajendra Adhikari, Queensland University (Australia); Muhammad Amjad Iqbal, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Pakistan)

  Session 2 – Wednesday, July 30
  (Botswana and USA)

Los Angeles – 8:00 AM
New York – 11:00 AM
São Paulo – 12:00 PM
South Africa – 5:00 PM
Shanghai – 11:00 PM

New Zealand
3:00 AM (Thursday)

🇧🇼 Botswana – 5:00 PM

Dhanya Jagadeesh
BA ISAGO University (Botswana)
She was born on March 28, 1982, in Kerala, India. She completed her secondary school education in 1996 in India. She received a master's degree In Economics from the University of Kerala, India in 2004 and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Mahatma Gandhi University, India in 2002 and 2006 respectively. She has been working as an Economics lecturer at BAISAGO University, Gaborone, Botswana for the Past 14 Years. Other than that, she had worked with many other institutions in both India and Botswana. She has published seven articles in peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, she presented some of her findings from the thesis at the 57th & 58th annual conference held by the South African Society for Agricultural Extension in 2024, 2025 respectively and at IBMA conference in 2025. Additionally one of her research paper has been accepted for IFAMA conference in 2025 , which she is awating to present via online mode. Her research is situated in the field of International Economics and Agricultural Economics with a special focus on crop productivity, drought management, climate-smart agricultural practices, and Export diversification.

Assessing Welfare Implications of Climate Smart Irrigation Technology in Smallholder Maize Production in Botswana: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis In the context of the growing impacts of climate change the farmers have been advised to find alternative ways of dealing with the challenges. The low adoption of climate-smart irrigation technology in Botswana warrants an investigation into the adoption drivers and the impact of adoption among the smallholder households in Botswana. This study used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data from 271 smallholder maize farmers in otswana. Descriptive statistics, probit regression, and propensity score matching technique (PSM) were employed to analyze the data. Age, household size, farm experience, and land tenure had a statistical and negative influence on adoption. However, level of education, Labour and access to credit had a positive influence on adoption. The result of the propensity score matching model indicated that farmers using climate-smart irrigation techniques experienced positive and significant improvements in crop yield and income compared to dryland farmers. Based on these findings, the study recommends, enhancing farmers' credit access, strengthening support for training and education, encouraging youth engagement in farming and the decision process, prioritizing gender-sensitive programs to address unequal access to resources, increasing the number of trained extension officers with the necessary infrastructure, establishing private-public partnership, and creating farmer clusters and cooperatives.

Co-authors: Mzuyanda Christian, University of Mpumalanga (South Africa); Simon Letsoalo, North-West University (South Africa); Khobai H., University of Johannesburg (South Africa)

Los Angeles – 8:30 AM
New York – 11:30 AM
São Paulo – 12:30 PM
South Africa – 5:30 PM
Shanghai – 11:30 PM

New Zealand
3:30 AM (Thursday)

🇺🇸 North Carolina (USA) – 11:30 AM

Edeoba Edobor
North Carolina State University (USA)
Edeoba W. Edobor is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in 2022, a Master’s in Agribusiness from Texas A&M University in 2018, and an MS in Biology from Tuskegee University in 2016. His research interests include agribusiness marketing, consumer behavior, international development, and small business economics. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching sports, and spending time with his family.

Impact of Supplemental Health Information on Willingness to Pay for Nutrient-Enhanced Eggs
Using a discrete choice experiment, this study set out to determine the impact of supplemental health information, and the format for delivering such information affects consumers’ willingness to pay for eggs enhanced with beta-carotene and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). We also examined whether there were individual heterogeneities that could affect the realized willingness to pay for such enhancements. We found that in the absence of supplemental information, consumers exhibited a disutility for, and negative marginal willingness to pay for, eggs enhanced with beta-carotene and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Consumers who received supplemental health information were willing to pay more for these nutritional enhancements, especially those who received it in video format. While those who received text script treatment were willing to pay 41 cents more for beta-carotene enhancement, those who received video treatment were willing to pay 62 cents more. For MUFA enhancements, we found that those who received video treatment, were willing to pay 24 cents more.

Co-authors: Michael J. Best and Anita R. Best, North Carolina State University (USA); Ondulla T Toomer, Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research Unit, USDA-ARS (USA)

Los Angeles – 9:00 AM
New York – 12:00 PM
São Paulo – 1:00 PM
South Africa – 6:00 PM

Shanghai
12:00 AM – Thursday

New Zealand
3:30 AM (Thursday)

🇺🇸 Texas (USA) – 11:00 AM

Cotton Analysis App: An Interactive Web Application for the Cotton Market in the USA
The Cotton Analysis App is a cloud-based, interactive web application that enables stakeholders to analyze U.S. cotton market data. Built with R Shiny and Apache Cassandra, the tool integrates open datasets from USDA and Texas A&M, allowing users to visualize spot and futures prices, production costs, and breakeven yields. It offers predictive analytics and simulated hedging strategies, helping farmers, analysts, and policymakers improve decision-making. Designed with accessibility and transparency in mind, the app reduces information asymmetry by transforming complex agricultural data into actionable insights. It also promotes adoption of digital agriculture by providing a free, user‑friendly interface that supports reproducibility, open science, and farm-level decision support.

Co-authors: Abdinardo Moreira Barreto de Oliveira, Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR) (Brazil), Luis A. Ribera and Juan Landivar‑Bowles, Texas A&M University (USA)

  Session 3 – Wednesday, July 30 (Thursday, July 31 for New Zealand)
  (New Zealand)

Los Angeles – 1:00 PM
New York – 4:00 PM
São Paulo – 5:00 PM
South Africa – 10:00 PM

Shanghai
4:00 AM (Thursday)

New Zealand
8:00 AM (Thursday)

🇳🇿 New Zealand – 8:00 AM (Thursday)

Campbell Kerr
Lincoln University (New Zealand)
My background is in agribusiness management, logistics and rural development. I teach horticulture systems management with a focus on management principles, labour and financial planning and analysis. My research is related to horticultural business diversification, collective action, social entrepreneurship and community development.

Member Heterogeneity in Agricultural Industry Associations 
Agricultural industry associations play a significant role in supporting a nation’s agricultural sector. However, providing support becomes more complex when an association’s members are heterogeneous. This review paper explores the impact of member heterogeneity on agricultural industry associations by integrating literature on agricultural industry associations, agricultural cooperatives and meta-organisations. Through the analysis of 64 papers, it was found that member heterogeneity is a common context for AIAs and that this can undermine the quality of the collective goods they provide and their internal decision-making processes. These findings are relevant to agriculture industry associations, cooperatives and meta-organisations, and may help inform the structuring of these organisations to be more effective at tackling the complex challenges that farmers face.

Co-authors: Alison Bailey, Alan Renwick, and Meike Rombach, Lincoln University (New Zealand)

Los Angeles – 1:30 PM
New York – 4:30 PM
São Paulo – 5:30 PM
South Africa – 10:30 PM

Shanghai
4:30 AM (Thursday)

New Zealand
8:30 AM (Thursday)

🇳🇿 New Zealand – 8:30 AM (Thursday)

Dan Smith
Lincoln University (New Zealand)
Senior Lecturer in Farm Management and Agribusiness with a particular focus on rural accounting, finance, and land use change. Primary research focus is the rural economy and the interface between farmers and the service businesses they outsource machinery related tasks to.

A Conceptual Framework for Small Rural Farm-Support Agribusiness
A systematic review and qualitative research project were carried out to propose and develop a theoretical model of the growth and survival of small, rural, farm support agribusinesses in New Zealand, uncovering the industry characteristics that shape these businesses and the challenges they face, as well as the owners strategies to thrive.

Los Angeles – 2:00 PM
New York – 5:00 PM
São Paulo – 6:00 PM
South Africa – 11:00 PM

Shanghai
5:00 AM (Thursday)

New Zealand
9:00 AM (Thursday)

🇳🇿 New Zealand – 9:00 AM (Thursday)

Kgolagano Mpejane
Lincoln University (New Zealand)
Kgolagano Mpejane is a PhD candidate in Agribusiness at Lincoln University, New Zealand. His academic journey includes a First Class Honours degree, a Master of Management Studies in Agribusiness, and a Graduate Diploma from the University of Waikato. He has also pursued a Master of Arts in Politics and International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Botswana. Kgolagano served as a private secretary to Botswana’s Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry and was subsequently reassigned from the Ministry of Agriculture. He is the Director and Researcher at KGM Consulting, Botswana. His research interests include the political economy of agrarian development, regional agricultural trade, international agribusiness, farmers’ organisations and trade unions, and food security. 

Impacts of Non-Tariff Barriers on the Agri-food Trade within the Southern African Customs Union
Despite deep integration with a harmonised structure, common external tariffs, and duty-free tariffs, agri-food trade between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) member countries is low and fragmented. Without much empirical evidence, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are suspected to contribute to the low agri-food trade between SACU. The study employed the gravity model with the Heckman estimator to assess the impact of NTBs, specifically seasonal import restrictions, export bans, permits, and quotas used by SACU members, on their 11 highly traded agri-food products from 2000 to 2023. The findings indicate that SACU membership has a significant impact on agri-food trade, despite the dominance of NTBs institutionalised in the agreement. The study’s findings strongly advocate for SACU countries to urgently prioritize removing NTBs under the infant industry protection policy to reform and increase intra agri-food trade.

Los Angeles – 2:30 PM
New York – 5:30 PM
São Paulo – 6:30 PM
South Africa – 11:30 PM

Shanghai
5:30 AM (Thursday)

New Zealand
9:30 AM (Thursday)

🇳🇿 New Zealand – 9:30 AM (Thursday)

Meike Rombach
Lincoln University (New Zealand)
Dr Meike Rombach works in horticultural marketing, bridging the gap between horticulture and consumers. Her research focuses on marketing and social issues within New Zealand’s horticultural sector, delivering insights that benefit both academic and industry stakeholders. While grounded in horticulture, she also explores other sectors, drawing on cross-industry learnings to develop practical recommendations that support innovation and growth. 

Teaching Case: The Crimson Ridge Wine Scandal
Meike Rombach presents a teaching case dedicated to wine scandal in New Zealand’s wine industry. The Crimson’s Ridge scandal involved a major case of wine fraud in New Zealand, where wines were falsely labelled with incorrect vintage, variety, and origin. The company was found to have deliberately misrepresented its wines, misleading both domestic and export markets. This mislabelling violated the NZ Wine Act and undermined trust in New Zealand’s wine industry and its geographic indications. The case p discusses industry concerns about traceability and reputational damage for honest producers.

Co-authors: Campbell Kerr, Daniel E. Smith, and Hiraina Tangiora, Lincoln University (New Zealand)

  Session 4 – Thursday, July 31
  (USA)

Los Angeles – 6:00 AM
New York – 9:00 AM
São Paulo – 10:00 AM
South Africa – 3:00 PM
Shanghai – 9:00 PM

New Zealand
1:00:am (Friday)

🇺🇸 Michigan (USA) – 9:00 AM

Asma Yeasmin Sampa
Michigan State University (USA)
Asma Yeasmin Sampa is a Ph.D. student in Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University, where she also completed her Masters. Her research interests lie in agricultural development, technology adoption, gendered labor allocation, and applied microeconomics in low- and middle-income countries. She is particularly passionate about using empirical methods to explore how innovations in agriculture and aquaculture can enhance productivity, income, and nutrition security. Asma’s recent work focuses on understanding decision-making dynamics in farm households and the constraints that shape technology adoption. Originally from Bangladesh, she brings contextual insight and a strong commitment to inclusive development to her work. At MSU, she also serves as a Research Assistant and an elected member of the AFRE Graduate Student Organization.

Growth Beneath the Surface: Adoption and Effects of Formulated Feed Across Diverse Aquaculture in Bangladesh
This study examines the drivers and outcomes of modern aquafeed adoption across diverse aquatic farming systems in southern Bangladesh. Fish and shrimp farmers survey reveals that species diversification boosts modern feed adoption, while fish-only specialization increases floating feed use. Aqua-crop integration promotes adoption but reduces usage intensity. While modern feed boosts yield, it does not consistently increase income due to associated high costs. These findings have clear implications for policymakers and agribusinesses: scaling up feed offerings must consider species portfolios, stocking density, and integration level. To enhance adoption, policies should support affordability, rural distribution, and farmer training. Public-private partnerships, investments in feed mill efficiency, and expanded extension services can help address uneven adoption and strengthen aquaculture productivity and incomes security.

Co-authors: Benjamin Belton, Thomas A. Reardon, Michael Olabisi, and Mywish K. Maredia, Michigan State University (USA)

Los Angeles – 6:30 AM
New York – 9:30 AM
São Paulo – 10:30 AM
South Africa – 3:30 PM
Shanghai – 9:30 PM

New Zealand
1:30:am (Friday)

🇺🇸 Texas (USA) – 8:30 AM

Xavier A. Villavicencio
Texas A&M University (USA)
Xavier Villavicencio, Ph.D., is an agricultural economist and Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center in McAllen, TX. His research focuses on applying quantitative methods to agribusiness management, with particular interests in price determination and consumer preferences in agricultural markets, risk assessment and optimal production in farm management, and the impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity. Dr. Villavicencio teaches both theoretical and applied courses, including Fundamentals of Agricultural Economic Analysis, Macroeconomics, and Agricultural Price Analysis.

Innovative Crop Allocation Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture in Water-Scarce Conditions: The Case of South Texas
This study applies a modified portfolio optimization model to identify optimal crop allocations for representative farms in South Texas under water scarcity and market risk. Using data from 1981–2022 for Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties, the model minimizes risk for a given return while incorporating constraints on water availability. Simulations across varying water scenarios reveal that reduced water limits adaptation options, underscoring the importance of efficient resource use. Results show that optimal crop mixes can improve farm results while conserving water. The findings offer practical guidance for agribusiness managers and policymakers, supporting resilient decision-making and sustainable agricultural practices in water-scarce regions.

Co-authors: Samuel D. Zapata and Jorge Martinez, Texas A&M University (USA)