BIG interview with Ronal Guendel, the new president of IFAMA on its new role and the World Conference 2027

Fructidor: You recently became President of IFAMA. What is your vision for the organization, and what role should IFAMA play in the future of the global food and agribusiness sector?

Ronal Guendel: My vision is quite simple: I want IFAMA to become one of the places where the global food system really comes together. The challenges we face today like climate, water, technology, changing markets, food security and talent, cannot be solved by one company, one university or one government. We need to connect the people who normally sit in different rooms. That is where IFAMA is unique. We bring together industry, academia, government, NGOs, young professionals and students on a neutral platform. But for me, bringing people together is not enough: we need to turn connections into action.

During my presidency, I want IFAMA to be more global, more visible and more active throughout the year, building partnerships, connecting research with business, and especially developing the next generation of leaders who will shape our food system.

After more than 30 years working across food value chains, from farmers and fresh produce to global companies and international organizations, I have learned one thing: transformation happens when you bring the right people together around a real challenge. That is what I want IFAMA to do.

Fructidor: The IFAMA World Conference will take place in Lima, Peru, 20 to 25 of June 2027. What do you want the conference to achieve, particularly for the international fruit and vegetable sector?

Ronal Guendel: Peru is a fantastic place for this conversation because it demonstrates how agriculture can connect production, innovation and international markets. Our theme is “Beyond Resilience: Strategic Adaptability.” Resilience is no longer enough. Companies and producers need to continuously adapt to climate pressure, water scarcity, changing consumer expectations, technology, labor shortages and increasingly volatile global markets.

These questions are particularly relevant for fruit and vegetables. It is one of the most global and interconnected parts of agriculture. What happens on a farm in Peru can very quickly affect retailers and consumers in Europe, North America or Asia.

We expect more than 900 participants from over 50 countries, but my objective is not simply to have a large conference. I want people to leave Lima with new ideas, new relationships and concrete opportunities to work together. We will combine business leaders, producers, researchers and policymakers with technical visits, the Global Business Forum, research, a student case competition and a hackathon. And I would particularly like to see the global fresh produce community strongly represented. Peru 2027 should be a meeting point between Latin American production and the global food value chain.

Fructidor: How do you see the new generation reshaping the fruit and vegetable sector in Latin America, and what role can IFAMA play?

Ronal Guendel: I am very optimistic about the next generation. Young people entering agriculture today think differently. They are comfortable with technology, data and entrepreneurship. They understand sustainability, but they also understand that sustainability has to work economically. And they increasingly look at agriculture not only as production, but as part of a much larger value chain connecting farmers, technology, finance, retailers and consumers. Latin America has enormous agricultural potential, but we also have a challenge: many producers are getting older and too many talented young people still do not see agriculture as an exciting career. We have to change that.

That is why developing young leaders is one of IFAMA’s most important responsibilities. Through our case competitions, hackathons, mentoring, Young Board and global network, we give young people the opportunity to work on real industry problems and interact directly with business leaders from around the world. I strongly believe that we should not only invite young people to discuss the future of agriculture. We should give them the opportunity to build it. And Lima 2027 will be an important platform to do exactly that.

For more information about IFAMA World conference 2027 and the opportunities it brings to young careers you can click here.