Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on R&D for Agriculture
Artificial intelligence is already transforming agricultural research and development by accelerating scientific discoveries and enabling more targeted, sustainable solutions for growers.
In this webinar, Martin Clough, Syngenta Crop Protection’s R&D Head of Digital Collaboration and Sustainability, and Andre Piza, Syngenta Group’s Global Head of Digital AgTech, explain how AI is revolutionizing agricultural innovation.
Watch this webinar to discover how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of agriculture.
Comment l’intelligence artificielle transforme la R&D en agriculture
L’intelligence artificielle transforme déjà la recherche et le développement en agriculture, en accélérant les découvertes scientifiques et en favorisant des solutions plus ciblées et durables pour les producteurs.
Dans ce webinaire, Martin Clough, Responsable de la collaboration numérique et du développement durable en R&D chez Syngenta Crop Protection, et Andre Piza, Responsable mondial du Digital AgTech au sein du groupe Syngenta, expliquent comment l’IA révolutionne l’innovation agricole.
Regardez ce webinaire pour découvrir comment l’intelligence artificielle façonne l’avenir de l’agriculture.
IFAJ-CropLife Webinar Series
Innovations in Agriculture: Biological Crop Protection
As farmers across Africa and the Middle East work to increase productivity while protecting natural resources, biological crop protection is gaining importance within Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This session provides a clear, science-based overview of biological solutions—including macrobials, microbials, biochemicals, and semiochemicals—and their role in more sustainable and resilient farming systems. The webinar addresses current adoption trends, practical applications in the region, and evolving regulatory frameworks, alongside perspectives from industry experts and practitioners.
Watch the recording to gain valuable insights into one of the fastest-evolving areas in crop protection and strengthen your reporting on agricultural innovation.
Série de webinaires IFAJ – CropLife
Innovations en agriculture : la protection biologique des cultures
Alors que les agriculteurs en Afrique et au Moyen-Orient s’efforcent d’augmenter leur productivité tout en préservant les ressources naturelles, la protection biologique des cultures gagne en importance dans le cadre de la lutte intégrée contre les ravageurs (IPM). Cette session offre une vue d’ensemble claire et fondée sur la science des solutions biologiques — notamment les macro-organismes, micro-organismes, biochimiques et sémiochimiques — ainsi que de leur rôle dans des systèmes agricoles plus durables et résilients.
Le webinaire aborde les tendances actuelles d’adoption, des applications concrètes dans la région et l’évolution des cadres réglementaires, en intégrant les perspectives d’experts du secteur et de praticiens. Regardez l’enregistrement pour obtenir des informations précieuses sur l’un des domaines les plus dynamiques de la protection des cultures et renforcer votre couverture de l’innovation agricole.
COP30: Transforming Agriculture and Food Systems
Agriculture occupied a prominent position in the COP30 talks last November: one of its six thematic axes, designed to accelerate global climate action. If we’re to turn pledges into actions, what are the most significant implications, developments and potential obligations or expectations for global agriculture?
Let’s hear from IFAJ partners who were there, sharing their insights and perspectives:
- Tara McCarthy, Global Vice President of ESG at Alltech
- Todd Rosenstock, Director of Climate Action Program, CGIAR
- Ben Rivoire, Sustainability & Crop Value Chain Manager, International Seed Federation ISF
- Petra Laux, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta
From Pitch to Paycheck: Making Freelancing Work
In this IFAJ webinar, three seasoned pros share what truly works: diversifying income, pitching with precision, protecting credibility, and building trust by delivering reliably.
You’ll also learn how to avoid burnout, handle admin pitfalls, and sidestep common traps—practical steps to make freelancing both financially feasible and professionally sustainable.
Speakers:
• Lindi Botha — Agricultural journalist (print), South Africa
• Sara Kirchhof — Brazilian journalist & international correspondent based in Europe
• Christian Mühlhausen — Journalist/photographer & founder of Landpixel, Germany
• Host: Addy Rossi, Vice-President IFAJ
Behind the Scenes: A deep dive into the world of Illicit Trade!
There is a saying that goes ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’. However, counterfeit crop protection and seeds products are a critical threat to farmers, the environment and food security. That’s why the agricultural industry invests considerable resources, including leveraging the power of AI tools, while working closely with national and international law enforcement bodies to track down criminal networks and hold them accountable.
Join us undercover into the underground trade of counterfeit agricultural products and learn how Syngenta works with authorities globally to help dismantle one of the most lucrative organized crime networks in the world.
Speakers:
• Laurent Giezendanner, Head of Global Corporate Security, Syngenta
• Jeffrey P. Hardy, Director General of the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT)
Principles and Principals: Balancing the Roles of the Journalist and the Communicator
While IFAJ is the only global network of agricultural journalists, our membership is notably diverse. It includes professionals from the ‘four cultures’—agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, and silviculture—along with communicators who work closely with journalists.
In this webinar, we take a fresh perspective on freedom of the press: Are journalists and communicators inherently biased in their roles? Do these biases hinder journalists’ access to information or their freedom to pursue stories? Or are communicators simply ‘doing their job’—organising, curating, and sharing information for mutual benefit?
Join Olivia Cooper (UK) and Pam Caraway (USA), who bring unique insights from working in both roles, alongside full-time journalists Rachel Martin (Ireland) and Alpha Ousmane Souaré (Guinea), for an enriching conversation.
IFAJ Webinar – Understanding Soil Health
No better subject than soil for our ‘Sharing the Knowledge’ webinar, on December 5, as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of World Soil Day.
This year’s theme of “Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage” focuses on the role of soil data and information. How can we use it to understand soil characteristics and support farmers’ decision-making on sustainable soil management for food security?
Helping us articulate these thoughts is Syngenta’s Chief Soil Scientist, Matthew Wallenstein. Matt joined Syngenta in April 2022 after 16 years as a professor, and latterly head of the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, at Colorado State University.
Soil health is the key to climate-resilient agriculture, says Matt, as well as supporting human well-being and livelihoods, and restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function. His role at Syngenta accurately reflects this year’s WSD theme: he’s building a soil health platform that uses big data to inform practices that will regenerate soils.
IFAJ Webinar Understanding Plant Breeding
The 2024/25 IFAJ webinar season begins with an engaging session, ‘Understanding Plant Breeding,’ part of the new ‘Sharing the Knowledge’ initiative. Taking place on November 26, this webinar dives into the fascinating evolution of plant breeding, tracing its roots back to the groundbreaking work of Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel. Their 19th-century ideas continue to influence 21st-century innovations in developing crops that meet today’s agricultural challenges.
Join Syngenta experts Uri Krieger and Ian Jepson as they explore the significance of plant breeding in ensuring successful crop production. They discuss how this science supports growers in addressing an increasingly volatile climate by creating resilient crops.
Uri, the Global Head of R&D for Vegetable Seeds and Flowers, and Ian, Technology Leader for Field Crop Seeds, bring decades of expertise to the conversation. They’ll walk you through a range of approaches, from conventional breeding techniques to genetically modified crops and the cutting-edge potential of genome editing.
This is your chance to deepen your understanding of the science behind the seeds and how it shapes the future of agriculture.
Sustainability and IFAJ 2022
Leadership in Focus: Caroline Drummond
Animal Cloning Technology
The Beauty and the Beast of Digital Media
Agricultural Reporting- A Crash Course for Newbies
Communicating in a Time of Crisis
A special thank you to the South African guild for sharing this valuable webinar with us.
Produce Award-Winning Soundbites and Podcasts
A special thank you to the South African guild for sharing this valuable webinar with us.
Agroevolution Alliance Webinar
Rural Radio and COVID-19 with Jefferson Massah
Radio journalists have a special relationship with their audiences across Africa—a trust that is especially important in spreading accurate health and safety information through reporting, talk shows, social media and even jingles.
Jefferson Massah is part of Liberia Media Development’s core team of mentors, which is training and advising journalists at 30 community radio stations across the country on reporting on COVID-19. In this hour-long webinar, Jefferson shares his insight on reporting on the COVID-19 and Ebola crises in his country, from sourcing vetted scientific information to mentoring colleagues in rural communities.
Of course, the challenges and opportunities will continue well beyond these weeks of lockdown and fear: Jefferson also shares his thoughts on the changing roles of farm radio and agricultural journalism guilds as farming grows more intensive.
Beat the Boredom: Finding New Approaches to Old Stories with Steve Werblow
The Isolated Office with Lindi Botha and Lloyd Phillips
With Coronavirus-inspired lockdowns forcing more people than ever to join the growing ranks of work-at-home journalists, now is the perfect time for IFAJ’s new webinar, “The Isolated Office: Blessing or Curse?”
Lindi Botha—winner of the 2019 IFAJ Star Prize for Writing—and fellow award-winning journalist Lloyd Phillips share their insights and experiences from their own remote home offices in South Africa. Get their perspectives on work-at-home challenges for morning people and night owls alike, from staying in the loop on office happenings to maintaining your energy, avoiding distractions, and staving off “cabin fever.”
Photography with Janice Thoroughgood
Our presenter, Janice Thoroughgood of Canada, is an accomplished graphic designer and art director, and has served as a photo judge for the IFAJ Star Prize for Photography. Janice will share her insight on what makes a photo great…and how to turn good photos into great ones.
