Meet our course leader, Sjaak Wolfert

A visionary networker tackling complex problems requiring science-based solutions, combining organisational and technical aspects through a multidisciplinary, integrative, and agile approach. Discover his background, groundbreaking research, and future expectations. 


Digital Innovation Leadership
Sjaak is a senior scientist and theme ambassador for digital innovation in agri-food at Wageningen Social & Economic Research. He is a (scientific) coordinator and principal researcher in several national, international, and EU-funded projects, such as SmartAgriHubs, FIspace, and IoF2020. Since 2009, he has also been part-time affiliated as an assistant professor with the Information Technology Group of Wageningen University, where he teaches and supervises students. Additionally, he is a regular keynote speaker at conferences, a (co-)author of various scientific publications, and an evaluator of projects and publications. 

Academic and Professional Journey
Sjaak studied Plant Science with a specialisation in Crop Ecophysiology at Wageningen University (cum laude). In his career, he has held various prominent roles, including part-time affiliation with the Wageningen Data Competence Centre as Coordinator of Value Creation, President of the European Federation of ICT in Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (EFITA), and President of its Dutch national member organisation (VIAS). 

Driving Technological Transformation
As an expert in Digital Innovation in the Agri-Food sector, Sjaak has always been passionate about how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can support farming and food production. Today, he focuses on applying digital technologies such as Big Data, the Internet of Things, and Blockchain to the agricultural and food sectors. One of his latest groundbreaking projects is AgriDataSpace, where he is building a European framework for secure and trusted agricultural data space. With vast amounts of data generated in agri-food and policy implementations, AgriDataSpace aims to create additional services for farmers, assisting in decision-making and benchmarking. This initiative will lay the foundation for a European Data Space for Agriculture, ensuring secure, transparent, and responsible data exchange, processing, and analysis to drive data-driven innovation. 

Course leader of the Blended Course Data-Driven Agri-Food Business
In this course, participants will explore general trends and developments in digital innovation within the agri-food sector. They will learn about various applications and opportunities and the challenges that need to be addressed. The course covers how digital technologies can improve efficiency while addressing public concerns related to privacy, transparency, and power distribution. These challenges include technical aspects, such as information systems and data exchange, and organisational issues, such as business modelling, governance, and ethical considerations surrounding technology use. Sjaak follows an integrated approach, incorporating insights from various research disciplines and applying them in practice. 

Join the Journey 
Step into the future of the agri-food sector with our Data-Driven Agri-Food Business course. This comprehensive programmes empowers participants to harness digital technologies, transforming insights into actionable business innovations, from generative AI to data platforms. Steer your business towards sustainable success in the digital economy with the art of digital transformation.