Mansholt Lecture 2026: 17 November
On Tuesday 17 November 2026, the Mansholt Lecture 2026 will take place, entitled ‘Made in Europe: Agriculture powering the bioeconomy’, organised by Wageningen University & Research in Brussels.
Mansholt Lecture 2026: ‘Made in Europe: Agriculture powering the bioeconomy’
Where and how should European industrial and agricultural policy link?
This year’s Mansholt Lecture addresses a central strategic question for Europe: 'how can the full utilization of EU policies open up opportunities to strengthen agriculture’s contribution to the bioeconomy?' In the context of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and the preparation of the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), it examines whether the current policy architecture is capable of delivering the transition it sets out to achieve.
Programme
The programme for the Mansholt Lecture 2026 is as follows:
14:30-15:00: Walk-in
15:00-15:05: Welcome by moderator Simone Ritzer, Lead of the Wageningen Dialogues programme
15:05-15:10: Opening Sjoukje Heimovaara, President of the Executive Board, Wageningen University & Research
15:10-15:20: Reflection by Claus Felby, Vice President Agriculture and Food, Novo Nordisk Foundation
15:20-16:05: Mansholt Lecture: Made in Europe: Agriculture powering the bioeconomy with:
- Harriette Bos, Senior Researcher and Team Lead Chain Design & Systems Analysis, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research
- Agnieszka Golicz, Professor and Chair of Plant Breeding Group, Wageningen University
- Allard Jellema, Agricultural and Food Policy Researcher, Wageningen Social & Economic Research
16:05-16:25: Political dialogue with:
- Willemien Koning (AGRI/ITRE-EPP)
- Barry Cowen (AGRI-Renew)
16:25-16:30: Closure by Sjoukje Heimovaara
16:30-17:30: Networking and drinks
The event can be watched live via the livestream on this page (see below).
Watch the Mansholt Lecture 2026
Livestream Mansholt Lecture 2026
Previous editions of the Mansholt Lectures
Mansholt Lecture 2025
The Mansholt Lecture 2025, ‘Amidst a global race: how the EU’s food system can be both competitive and sustainable’, explored how innovation, trade and policy can help Europe combine economic strength with environmental and social goals.
Mansholt Lecture 2025
The Mansholt Lecture 2025, ‘Amidst a global race: how the EU’s food system can be both competitive and sustainable’, explored how innovation, trade and policy can help Europe combine economic strength with environmental and social goals.
Mansholt Lecture 2024
The societal debate on agriculture, food and nature is subject to polarisation, leading to unbridgeable points of view. To find joint solutions, a group of Wageningen researchers identified key dilemmas at the heart of these tensions.
Mansholt Lecture 2023
Climate change and biodiversity loss are the biggest challenges for the 21st century. The world is already 1.2 °C warmer and the impact of climate change such as heat waves, wild fires, floods and drought are being experienced around the globe. Also Europe is vulnerable for the impacts of climate change.
Mansholt Lecture 2022
The sixth edition of the Mansholt Lecture was about nature positive futures: food systems as a major catalyst for change.
Mansholt Lecture 2021
The fifth edition of the Mansholt lecture discussed the options and challenges for stakeholders in the transition towards a sustainable digital innovation ecosystem.“We don’t need more apps. We need a system”. This short quote of a farmer reflects the high degree of fragmentation and discontinuity in innovation processes we observe.
Mansholt Lecture 2019
The fourth edition of the Mansholt lecture focusses on the future of proteins, reflecting on the challenges and discussing policy recommendations. As part of the transition to a fully biobased economy, WUR calls for a new focus on production and consumption.
About Sicco Mansholt
Sicco Mansholt was a farmer who entered politics after the war. Mansholt and his colleagues in Europe initiated the modernisation of European agriculture with an emphasis on increasing productivity, farmers’ incomes, and food supply, with stable and affordable prices for producers and consumers.
With the increasing production, land and resources become limiting; residuals of crop and livestock production become problematic waste; emissions related to production become a burden for the quality of soil, water and air; health issues related to production intensification become a major concern.
Do you have a question about this event?
Contact Rens Koele for more information.