September 28, 2024 – The fifth session of the WAFI2025 Global Agrifood Innovation Roadshow was successfully held, serving as a key precursor to the upcoming World AgriFood Innovation Conference. Under the theme “Innovation Acceleration, Resilient Future,” the event showcased six top-tier projects from Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Peru, and Japan, facilitating a cross-border exchange of ideas across Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

The virtual gathering connected global investment institutions, industry experts, and media representatives, focusing on six critical fields: soil improvement, supply chain traceability, smart agriculture, energy integration, the circular economy, and cross-border digital trade. This convergence of global innovation is set to accelerate the transformation of the global agrifood systems.

Showcasing Global Innovators

The session featured presentations from six groundbreaking companies, each offering a unique solution to pressing agrifood challenges:

TOWING (Japan) – Microbial Infused Biochar for Soil Health

Takuto Nagata, Chief Global Officer

Innovation: ‘SORATAN’ soil amendment, developed using advanced sake fermentation technology. It uses a consortium of over 1,000 microbes infused in biochar to rapidly improve soil health.

Impact: Validated on 600 farms, it increases crop yields by 20-70%, captures 5 tons of CO2 per acre, and provides a viable model for tackling global soil degradation and achieving "Dual Carbon" goals.

ALJAZEN LIMITED (Saudi Arabia) – AgriTwin+ WX-Active Digital Twin

Carlos Parrilla, General Manager

Innovation: An intelligent digital core for agriculture that integrates IoT, drone, satellite, and weather data to create a real-time simulation of crops, soil, and microclimate. It predicts risks like pests and frost and automates equipment for irrigation and fertilization.

Impact: Its modular design suits everything from small farms to large enterprises, enabling 30-50% savings in water and inputs while increasing yield stability by 20-35%.

Mirai Solar (Saudi Arabia) – Flexible, Retractable Photovoltaic Shades

Michael Salvador, CEO

Innovation: A lightweight, retractable solar shade system for greenhouses and open fields. It provides crucial shade for crops in hot climates while simultaneously generating electricity.

Impact: Creates "net-zero energy" greenhouses, reducing production costs and carbon footprint by up to 30% in desert climates. The award-winning technology has been validated by Saudi Arabia's Estidamah and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in the U.S.

EME KSA (Saudi Arabia) – Circular Exchange Platform

Christian van Maaren, CEO & Co-Founder

Innovation: A platform that gives new value to dormant resources like construction waste and industrial by-products. Using AI for material matching and RFID/QR codes for "digital resource passports," it tracks material flow and provides transaction guarantees.

Impact: Supports Saudi Vision 2030 sustainability goals by reducing landfill waste, cutting carbon emissions, and creating green jobs. The parent company, EME, is a World Economic Forum Circulars Award recipient.

Argo Metaverse (Peru) – Superfoods, Powered by Technology

Teo Rojas, Founder

Innovation: A "digital bridge" between Latin America and China using VR and digital twins. Consumers can immersively explore the origins of superfoods, supported by a carbon credit and traceability system for transparent cross-border e-commerce.

Impact: Precisely connects Latin American products with China's wellness market, enhancing value through brand storytelling. The project was an Innovation Award receiver at WAFI2024.

Authena (Switzerland) – AI-Powered Direct-to-Cloud Food Traceability

Matteo Panzavolta, CEO

Innovation: Palm-sized, eco-friendly smart labels that monitor temperature, humidity, and light. Data is sent directly to the cloud, where AI predicts spoilage risks and blockchain creates an immutable "digital twin" for each product.

Impact: Already deployed with Nestlé and in NEOM's cold chain, the technology can reduce logistics insurance costs by 15-25% and shifts supply chains to a predictive model.

Expert Evaluation and Strategic Guidance

The WAFI2025 Organizing Committee convened a panel of distinguished industry experts to evaluate the projects on technological advancement and market feasibility. The panel included:

• Aalt Dijkhuizen, Former President of Wageningen University & Research and the Dutch Topsector Agri&Food.

• Aidan Connolly, President of IFAMA and AgriTech Capital.

• Ian Lahiffe, China Representative of Marigot Group.

• Andrew Yip, Head of Innovation and Ecosystem Development for Agriculture & Food at NEOM.

Their critical insights helped chart a course for future collaboration, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable global food supply chain.

Driving Innovation from Concept to Reality

The WAFI Global Agrifood Innovation Roadshow leverages its world-class platform to address structural challenges in the industry. By focusing on the intersection of technological revolution and industrial upgrading, it fosters the deep integration of technology, capital, and market access.

Selected projects will be included in the "WAFI Global Agrifood Innovation Portfolio," gaining priority access to international capital, research resources, and overseas market entry support, ultimately turning innovative ideas into scalable, productive realities.