Alumni meeting
AI to help feed the world - Wageningen, the Netherlands
The Agri-AI Business Club is welcoming alumni to their next Agri-AI Study Group Meeting on the theme "AI to help feed the world". Alumni already working with AI, or considering its implementations, and who are open to discuss and exchange practical experiences are welcome to join. Spots are limited and filled on a first-come-first-serve basis.
On Wednesday August 27, Dr. Feroz Sheikh, Chief Digital Officer at Syngenta, will hold a keynote lecture at the next Agri-AI Study Group Meeting. Syngenta is a global leader in AI and AI application within the agribusiness. Dr. Sheikh oversees the company's global digital and AI strategy. In his presentation, Dr. Sheikh will outline Syngenta's vision & strategy and highlight their most impactful AI applications.
See below for the full programme, speaker bios and registration form.
We hope to see you on August 27th!
Programme
13.30 Room open, coffee/tea
14.00 Welcome and introduction by Aalt Dijkhuizen (moderator)
14.10 AI in the NL agri & food sector: current status and future perspective by Cynthia Zhu (founder Agri-AI and initiator Agri-AI Business Club)
14.40 Precision Farming using AI: state-of-the-art and future potential by Corné Kempenaar (Coordinator data & precision farming at 'BO Akkerbouw' and Lector precision farming at Aeres Uni of Applied Sciences)
15.15 Coffee break
15.45 Keynote: Syngenta's AI strategy and application to help feed the world by Feroz Sheikh (Chief Information & Digital Officer at Syngenta Group)
17.00 Wrap-up & takeaways by Aalt Dijkhuizen
17.10 Networking with drinks & snacks
18.00 End of programme
How to get to the venue
Parking places for the participants will be reserved in the parking garage of Unilever, a 3 minutes walk from the Omnia building. You will receive further details in the confirmation email a few days prior to the event.
Registration
Spots are limited and filled on a first-come-first-serve basis. Deadline for registration is 18 August 2025.
If you are interested in attending, please register by clicking the blue button below.
Click here to register for this meeting
About keynote speaker Dr. Feroz Sheikh
Feroz Sheikh joined Syngenta in 2018 and has been responsible for building digital platforms and products as part of Syngenta’s digital transformation. He has led teams of engineers, computer scientists and data scientists to put digital innovation into the hands of farmers and has played a major role in the design and deployment of Cropwise – Syngenta’s digital technology platform.
Prior to Syngenta, Sheikh founded and led several technology-driven ventures. He also supported philanthropic activities, including making education accessible to millions of children in India using digital technologies.
Sheikh holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering, and an executive management education program certificate from the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, India. He is a board member of AgGateway and chair of AgGateway Europe, a global, non-profit organization that drives digital connectivity in global agriculture and related industries
About Syngenta Group Syngenta Group is one of the world’s leading agriculture innovation companies, with roots going back more than 250 years. In more than 100 countries, the company strives to transform agriculture through breakthrough products and technologies that play a vital role in enabling the food chain to feed the world safely, sustainably and with respect for our planet.
About the other speakers
Corné Kempenaar
Corné Kempenaar has worked many years as Senior Researcher at Wageningen Plant Research, focusing on Data & Precision Farming. Since 2024 he works at the Dutch Inter-branch Organization for ArableCrops (‘BO Akkerbouw’) in the same area. Since 2012 he is also Lector Precision Farming at Aeres University of Applied Sciences.
Cynthia Zhu
Cynthia Zhu is active in the integration of artificial intelligence within the agricultural sector. She grew up and was educated in China, holding a degree in Business Economics and an MBA in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Amsterdam. Her research concentrated on the acceptance and adoption of AI in Dutch Agribusiness.
Cynthia is an active strategic advisor in the agri-food sector and a guest professor specializing in AI and agriculture. Previously, she led significant projects in 4G network deployment, Fiber to the Home, and smart city Amsterdam initiatives. Her vision is to seamlessly integrate technology into agriculture. With a strong foundation in both telecommunications and agriculture, Cynthia founded Agri-AI. Her company is at the forefront of using AI to transform agricultural practices. Cynthia's work addresses the unique challenges of the agricultural sector, focusing on enhancing sustainability, operational efficiency, and contributing to food security. She is passionate about exploring and implementing innovative ideas in daily agricultural practices.