In February, I packed a bag for Amsterdam and attended the Women in Food and Agriculture 2025 conference. This two-day event brought together people from across the food and agriculture sectors from around the globe, creating a rich environment for learning, connection, and inspiration.
Top takeaways from the conference
The day began with a motivating keynote from Kika Buhrmann, CEO of Nespresso Netherlands. Her insights into managing energy and time, as well as recovering from setbacks, set a powerful tone for the day. Her message focused on resilience and self-belief as key leadership tools.
Networking was a central part of the event, with five dedicated breaks that gave me the chance to connect with women working at AHDB, Expana, Waitrose, M&S, Bayer, the EU CAP Network, Pymwymic, and Syngenta. I even had the chance to meet BGA’s own Lyndsay Marfleet! These conversations opened my eyes to the diversity of career paths across our industry and our shared challenges and opportunities.
Mentorship was a recurring theme throughout the day, highlighted both in talks and informal conversations. We explored ways to get the most from mentorship and how both mentors and mentees benefit from the relationship. WFA’s own mentorship programme came highly recommended and I would encourage others to look into it (Mentorship Program – Women in Food and Agriculture).
In a presentation by Margot Slattery of ISS A/S, we explored the importance of authentic communication and negotiation, including the power of vulnerability in leadership and navigating difficult conversations with honesty and confidence. This linked nicely to a follow up workshop on managing difficult conversations, from salary negotiations to sharing personal news.
A panel on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) discussed ways that leaders can become more inclusive by recognising their own biases and actively addressing inequity. Working groups for underrepresented voices were discussed as one effective strategy for making progress on inclusion.
From a sustainability standpoint, Florence Henry of Nestlé shared examples of how women in agriculture, especially in developing countries, play a crucial role but are often under-recognised. I was inspired by programmes like Nestle’s income accelerator program for cocoa farming families, offering financial incentives not just for the quantity and quality of their cocoa beans, but also for practices that benefit the environment and local community. For example, the 10,000 households participating in Côte d’Ivoire, 79% of women were registered in Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) initiative, allowing them to invest in small businesses, such as agro-processing boutiques.
Bringing It Back to Work
What I gained most from the conference wasn’t technical knowledge, but connections and inspiration. Since returning, I’ve met with a new connection at Syngenta. We plan to keep supporting each other by sharing opportunities in Cambridgeshire, and meeting to discuss challenges and solutions in our sectors.
Personally, I return with greater confidence in my ability to communicate effectively, navigate challenging conversations, and speak up against inequity.
Lauren Hibbert, 2025 Fellow
LSA CT Fellowship Scheme 