Is Mexico to become a hotspot for agri-food innovation, investment and new technology solutions?

Mexico is a significant agricultural producer with diverse high-value products ranging from fruits and vegetables, to grains, coffee and livestock.​

Its agriculture industry is poised for growth with a projected gross production value of US $57 billion in 2024.¹​ This expansion is driven by increasing demand both domestically and internationally, with 95% of berries and 60% of avocados exported to its major export partner, the US.

Mexico has recently welcomed its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who will step into office on October 1. She is a strong advocate of sustainable practices, including in agriculture where demand is increasing for corporate and government programs to support smallholder farmers as well as large-scale growers in adoption of climate-smart practices. This is to reduce the use of harmful chemicals in favour of biological and other environmentally friendly alternatives.

Significantly, Mexico continues to suffer ongoing historic droughts and desertification challenges, particularly in the north. 76% of the country’s water is used by agriculture, but 60% is wasted due to inefficient irrigation methods, lack of data and monitoring.²​ Necessitating the adoption of innovative irrigation technologies is key to ensure efficient and sustainable farming practices.

Additionally, funding the transition to regenerative agricultural practices is a key issue for many of the players in Mexican agriculture, including some of the world’s largest food and beverage brands. Discussions on how farmers can be assisted in adopting sustainable farming are key in ensuring that we can increase our food production without damaging the environment.

Finally, another aspect of Mexican agriculture, which differentiates it from other North American countries, is the vast number of smallholder farms, which make up the majority of farming operations in Mexico. Technology can help digitalize farms, increase their productivity and improve their access to finance – this will be crucial towards lifting producers out of poverty, whilst also helping improve the country’s food production.

Introducing World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit Mexico​

The renowned World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit is coming to Mexico City on October 29-30 2024, building on its global portfolio of events in San Francisco, London, São Paulo and Dubai.

Hosted by Rethink Events, the summit’s goal is to accelerate climate-smart agri-food innovation and investment across Mexico, supporting the region’s growing agtech ecosystem while also offering early access for international players to this high-growth market.

International market landscape​

For international agribusinesses and technology providers seeking to enter or expand their presence in Mexico, the summit will be a timely opportunity to meet large farming operations and regional partners. Emerging start-ups and scale-up companies can capitalize on the demand for new solutions and bespoke opportunities to work with farmers in local field trials, from open field farms to greenhouses.

This year, Traive, a Brazilian-based agri-fintech platform teamed up with Verqor, a Mexican company aiming to accelerate credit approvals for smallholder farmers in Mexico by leveraging more accurate data. In 2023, Bayer invested 700 million pesos into a biological crop protection plant so the country can continue to focus on applying regenerative agriculture methods.

Family offices, venture capital firms, impact investors, corporates and private equity funds are looking to access rich opportunities in Mexico, with The Yield Lab among the global investors to recently open offices in the region.

Program highlights and key themes​

The program for the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in Mexico City focuses on driving climate-smart agri-food innovation and investment, providing key networking opportunities to connect with a diverse array of leaders from international farming associations, agribusinesses, food and beverage companies, technology providers, public research centers, investors, and start-ups.

Curated in collaboration with the summit’s expert Advisory Board, including leaders from Driscoll’s, NatureSweet, Nestlé, Heineken and Grupo Bimbo, the two-day program will provide critical insights into agtech solutions and partnerships vital for Mexico to meet growing production demands through sustainable practices.

Sessions will offer strategic insights and technology focus valuable to both large-scale and smallholder farms, including smart irrigation and digital platforms, new opportunities in biological crop protection, the latest innovations in controlled environment horticulture, and the transition to regenerative agriculture practices.

Setting the scene for the summit, the opening plenary ‘Enhancing Resilience and Sustainability in Mexican Agriculture’ will look at how the region can adapt its agricultural practices to increase resilience, boost domestic production and meet export demands.

Subsequent sessions will tackle key trends and opportunities for new technologies, plus overcoming barriers to technology adoption, ensuring that both small and large-scale farmers receive the right financial and technical support to transition to sustainable agricultural practices.

Exhibition​

Outside of the auditorium, summit delegates will have the opportunity to explore a vibrant exhibition area, where they can engage with the regional and international teams behind some of the most exciting technology developments in agriculture and controlled environment horticulture. This exhibition will feature a range of live technology demonstrations, providing a hands-on experience with innovative solutions and products.

Featured start-ups​

Regional and international start-ups will be in the spotlight on stage and in the exhibition, ready to showcase their agtech solutions for Mexican agriculture.

Innovators will present their technologies, seeking opportunities to partner with investors, corporates and technology innovators looking to drive climate-smart agri-food innovation and solve the core challenges facing the agricultural sector.

Networking opportunities ​

World Agri-Tech summits are renowned for facilitating high-impact networking among its senior C-Suite audiences. In Mexico City, valuable networking touchpoints will be integrated throughout the programme, ensuring delegates have plenty of opportunities to build and strengthen business relationships. A dedicated networking room will be used for face-to-face meetings at private tables, fostering an environment to create in-depth discussions and collaboration.

Small roundtable discussion groups on the programme will entice delegates to hone deeper into specific industry topics, hosted by industry experts, while a networking happy hour will celebrate a successful first day with a chance to relax and socialise.

All of the networking is supported by World Agri-Tech’s summit platform and app, with early networking starting two weeks before the live event for delegates, speakers and exhibitors to start connecting and book meetings. 

When​ October 29-30, 2024
Where​ The St. Regis Mexico City
Find out more information about speakers, program highlights, start-ups and delegate registration​.

References ​

1. ​Statista. Agriculture - Mexico.​
2. ​Excelsior. Exprime a México la agricultura ineficaz.​