ELSA event | Shaping Responsible AI in Agrifood - What's next?
In short
Activity- 29 October 2026
- 09.00 - 16.00 h
- Omnia Wageningen Campus
Reflections on 5 years of ELSA research at WUR and a future outlook
On 29 October, the ELSA Lab AI for Sustainable Food Systems (AI4SFS) at Wageningen University & Research will bring together researchers, policymakers, businesses, and societal stakeholders to celebrate five years of research on the Ethical, Legal and Societal Aspects (ELSA) of AI at WUR.
As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes our food systems, important questions arise: How can AI contribute to sustainability? How do we ensure innovations are ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy? And who gets to shape the future of AI in agrifood?
This event brings together perspectives from across the agrifood ecosystem to reflect on what we have learned over the past five years and to explore what lies ahead.
Expect an interactive programme with co-creation workshops, keynotes from both research and industry, and stakeholder dialogues. We will share key insights and real-world experiences from ELSA research and discuss both the opportunities and challenges of AI and digitalisation in building sustainable and fair food systems. During interactive workshops, participants will have the opportunity to explore topics such as citizen science, ethics, gender and employment related to of AI in greater depth.
Join us for a day of reflection and inspiration
This event is not only about looking back on five years of research. It is also about looking ahead. Together, we will identify priorities and concrete directions for future ELSA research, innovation and collaboration.
For whom?
This public event is relevant for researchers, policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders interested in AI and data-driven technologies for sustainable food systems.
Programme
| Time | Details |
|---|---|
9.00 h | Registration and coffee |
09.30 h | Welcome and plenary opening |
09.40 h | Keynote by dr. Mareike Smolka |
10.45 h | Coffee break |
11.00 h | Parallel workshops round 1 |
12.30 h | Lunch break |
13.30 h | Keynote by Lisanne Buik, reflection by Pim van der Horst (Ministry of LVVN) |
14.20 h | Parallel workshops round 2 |
15.25 h | Plenary wrap up |
16.00 h | Drinks & bites |
- Time
9.00 h
DetailsRegistration and coffee
- Time
09.30 h
DetailsWelcome and plenary opening
- Time
09.40 h
DetailsKeynote by dr. Mareike Smolka
- Time
10.45 h
DetailsCoffee break
- Time
11.00 h
DetailsParallel workshops round 1
- Time
12.30 h
DetailsLunch break
- Time
13.30 h
DetailsKeynote by Lisanne Buik, reflection by Pim van der Horst (Ministry of LVVN)
- Time
14.20 h
DetailsParallel workshops round 2
- Time
15.25 h
DetailsPlenary wrap up
- Time
16.00 h
DetailsDrinks & bites
About the keynotes
Dr. Mareike Smolka is Assistant Professor at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Research Fellow at RWTH Aachen University. In 2023 she was awarded an NWO Veni grant in the Social Sciences and Humanities domain for her project, “Studying and Enhancing How AI Researchers and Developers Imagine Socio-Technical Systems: A Response to the Crisis of Imagination.” The project brings together case studies from both agricultural and healthcare sectors.
Lisanne Buik works at the intersection of AI ethics, futures thinking and design. She is the founder of Gracious AI, a consultancy that helps leaders, companies and institutions choose and create an ethical AI strategy and infrastructure that aligns with human and ecological values. She is also a speculative designer and artist. Her practice materialises future scenarios through films, writing and installation.
About the ELSA lab
The ELSA lab ‘AI for Sustainable Food Systems’ (AI4SFS) at Wageningen University & Research is a knowledge hub where research is conducted for AI applications ‘in the making’. The ELSA lab focuses on the responsible development of AI by helping software and hardware developers to create their AI applications in an ethically, socially, and legally responsible manner. Identifying risks early on helps make better and safer use of the opportunities offered by AI.
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Date
09:00 - 16:00