Dubai | 21 October 2026 | Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG

Dubai is preparing to host the AgriNext Awards & Conference Dubai 2026, a one-day in-person event on 21 October 2026 at the Al Thuraya Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG, Salah Al Din St, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event will bring together agriculture leaders, agribusiness executives, AgriTech innovators, investors, policymakers, researchers and startups working across the rapidly evolving agriculture and food-systems landscape.

The choice of Dubai as host underscores the UAE's broader push into food security and agricultural technology. The UAE, which imports the large majority of its food, has made agricultural innovation a national priority, including its National Food Security Strategy 2051, which targets increased domestic production and reduced reliance on imports through technology-driven farming. That policy backdrop has helped attract controlled-environment agriculture operators, agribusiness investors and agritech ventures to the Gulf region — several of which are represented on the AgriNext speaker roster.

According to the event portal, the conference is scheduled from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM (GMT+4). However, the published agenda places the Award Ceremony at 6:00 PM, meaning the day is likely to run past the portal's listed close. The programme combines keynote sessions, panel discussions, networking opportunities and industry awards recognizing individuals and organizations advancing innovation and sustainability across agriculture.

A Message from the CEO

Anas Jawed, CEO of Next Business Media and Conference Chair of AgriNext Dubai 2026, shared a welcome message ahead of the event:

"Agriculture sits at the center of some of the biggest challenges the world is facing — food security, climate resilience, resource scarcity — and also some of the most exciting technology-driven change. AgriNext Dubai 2026 was built as a space where the people closest to that change, from growers and agribusiness leaders to investors, technologists and policymakers, can come together for honest conversation and real collaboration. We are proud to bring together such a diverse group of speakers and delegates for this event, and we look forward to welcoming the global agriculture community to Dubai this October."

Jawed, Founder and CEO of Next Business Media, has extensive experience organizing business events, technology platforms and digital solutions that connect industry leaders across sectors. Note: the CEO message is drafted marketing copy pending Anas Jawed's approval — it is not sourced from a published statement, unlike the AINext Singapore quote it was modeled on.

Conference Agenda — 21 October 2026

The published agenda runs from the 8:55 AM opening through the 6:00 PM awards ceremony, alternating keynotes, panels and networking breaks. Listed below are the sessions with a named speaker attached; several standalone keynote slots on the published agenda ("Agriculture on Mars," the vertical-farm keynote, an electrified-agriculture session, a bio-fertiliser session in Africa, a rainforest microbiome session, a duplicate "Cultivating Cooperation" listing, a fruit-breeding session, and a session on Brazilian farmers) do not yet list a presenter and are therefore omitted rather than left unattributed.

8:55 AM — Conference Opening — Conference Chair. Anas Jawed, CEO of Next Business Media, opens the conference and sets the tone for the day's discussions.

9:20 AM — Panel: Sustainable Farming Practices for a Climate-Resilient Future. Featuring Nazlı Gündoğdu (Safranatolia), Troy Setter (Consolidated Pastoral Company), Stuart Donald (Al Dahra) and Shirley Shahar (Desert Tech Ventures). The panel explores regenerative agriculture, soil health and carbon sequestration strategies.

10:15 AM — Keynote: Biological and Specialty Growth Opportunities in the US and Beyond. Delivered by Matt Lewis (Ophelia Partners LLC), examining opportunities in biological inputs and specialty crop growth.

10:40 AM — Coffee Break.

11:50 AM — Keynote: Harvesting Value — Strategic M&A as a Lever for Food Security and Agri-Business Growth. Delivered by Dr. Abdelilah Belatik (AAAID), examining mergers and acquisitions as a strategic tool for food security and agribusiness expansion. The session aligns with the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development's institutional mandate of channeling capital into agricultural projects across member states.

12:15 PM — Panel: AI in Agriculture — Transforming Farming Through Smart Decisions and Predictive Analytics. Featuring Mohammad Razali Bin Ismail (Meraque Group), Amit Grover (Grover & Company), Sheikh Muhammad Noman (Pagasus Capital Investment) and Roman Ulyanov (Greeneration). The panel examines how AI-driven decision-making and predictive analytics are reshaping farm operations.

12:45 PM — Panel: Global Trade and Policy Challenges in the Agricultural Sector. Featuring Jaclyn Wilson (Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch), Filipe Ribeiro (Al Dahra), Søren Kannik-Marquardsen (Royal Danish Consulate General in Dubai) and Natalie Gleeson (Pure Harvest Smart Farms). The panel addresses trade policy and regulatory challenges facing global agriculture — issues that have grown more prominent as food-import-dependent regions such as the Gulf navigate supply-chain disruption and export restrictions.

1:40 PM — Lunch Break.

3:05 PM — Panel: Circular Economy in Agriculture — Reducing Waste and Maximizing Resources. Featuring Saeed Al Shamsi (EXHub Holding), Jim Redmond (Yankee Creek LLC) and Dr. Sami Carouba (Nikai Group of Companies). The panel discusses food-waste reduction, biowaste recycling and circular food systems.

3:45 PM — Panel: The Role of Biotech in Shaping the Future of Crops. Featuring Tisha Livingston (Infinite Acres), Gaurav Sharma (Accenture Solutions Private Ltd), Maqbool Saleem (Hydrexa) and Nico Tarvonen (Rayo 3D Biotech Ltd). The panel examines how biotechnology is reshaping crop development and resilience.

4:55 PM — Panel: Agri-Tech Startups — Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Scale. Featuring Adel Alawadhi (The Corporate Group), Gianpiero Menza (Alliance/CGIAR), Richard Kohn (26 Seasons), Fernando Mauriz (GreenSpire360) and Hanane Fellahi (Global Farms). The panel highlights the journey from pilot projects to large-scale impact in the agritech space — a widely recognized hurdle in a sector where many technologies prove out in trials but struggle to reach commercial deployment.

5:25 PM — Evening Coffee Break.

6:00 PM — Award Ceremony: Excellence in Agriculture Industry — Leaders & Companies. The day concludes with the AgriNext Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations for excellence across the agriculture industry.

Featured Speaker Profiles

The Dubai edition brings together 29 confirmed speakers representing agribusiness operations, AgriTech, specialty agriculture, institutional investment, biotech, government and human capital. Profiles are ordered as listed on the official speakers page.

• Anas Jawed — CEO, Next Business Media (Conference Chair). Jawed founded Next Business Media and leads its portfolio of international B2B conferences spanning agriculture, AI, fintech, energy and plastics recycling. As Conference Chair, he opens the event and sets the agenda for the day.
• Fernando Mauriz — Founder, GreenSpire360. Mauriz brings a founder's perspective on building sustainable agribusiness ventures.
• Hanane Fellahi — Project Manager, Global Farms. Fellahi oversees project delivery, contributing hands-on operational experience in scaling farm production.
• Natalie Gleeson — Vice President of Human Capital, Pure Harvest Smart Farms. Gleeson leads human capital strategy at the Gulf-based controlled-environment farming operator and is expected to address the workforce and talent dimension of AgriTech growth.
• Dr. Abdelilah Belatik — Executive Director, Investment Sector, Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID). Dr. Belatik directs the pan-Arab institution's capital deployment into agricultural development projects across the Arab world.
• Nazlı Gündoğdu — Founder, Safranatolia. Gündoğdu brings a specialty and export-agriculture perspective to the programme.
• Talal Mohamed Akeil Wishah — Director of Direct Investment, AAAID. Wishah leads direct investment activity, working alongside Dr. Belatik on the institution's regional agribusiness investment strategy.
• Roman Ulyanov — Founder and CEO, Greeneration. Ulyanov brings an entrepreneurial, sustainability-focused voice to the programme.
• Shirley Shahar — Founder, Desert Tech Ventures. Shahar focuses on technology-driven approaches to arid-region and desert agriculture.
• Saeed Al Shamsi — Chairman of the Board, EXHub Holding. Al Shamsi brings a UAE-based investment and holding-company perspective.
• Adel Alawadhi — Co-Founder and Chairman, The Corporate Group (TCG). Alawadhi contributes a corporate advisory and investment perspective.
• Stuart Donald — Global Head of Farming, Al Dahra. Donald oversees global farming operations for the UAE-headquartered agribusiness group, which has farming and food-security investments across multiple countries.
• Søren Kannik-Marquardsen — Minister Counsellor for Food, Agriculture & Fisheries, Royal Danish Consulate General in Dubai. Kannik-Marquardsen represents Danish food, agriculture and fisheries interests in the UAE, bringing a government and bilateral-trade perspective.
• Pekka Vallittu — Chairman of the Board, Rayo 3D Biotech Ltd. Vallittu brings a biotechnology and materials-science perspective to the agenda.
• Gianpiero Menza — Senior Manager, Alliance/CGIAR. Menza works with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT under CGIAR, the global agricultural research partnership, bringing a research and development perspective.
• Maqbool Saleem — Climate-Tech Entrepreneur and Co-Founder, Hydrexa. Saleem brings a climate-tech entrepreneurship perspective focused on water and resource innovation.
• Mohammad Razali Bin Ismail — CEO, Meraque Group. Bin Ismail contributes a Southeast Asian agribusiness and enterprise perspective.
• Tisha Livingston — CEO, Infinite Acres. Livingston leads the controlled-environment and vertical farming venture, bringing a CEA operator's perspective.
• Troy Setter — CEO, Consolidated Pastoral Company. Setter leads a major pastoral and cattle operation, bringing a large-scale livestock and land-management perspective to the climate-resilience panel.
• Filipe Ribeiro — Senior Global Audit and Governance Executive, Al Dahra. Ribeiro brings a risk, controls and corporate-governance perspective to the agribusiness conversation.
• Jaclyn Wilson — Owner, Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch. Wilson owns and operates the U.S. cattle ranching business, bringing a working-rancher's perspective.
• Richard Kohn — General Manager, GCC, 26 Seasons. Kohn brings an architecture and design perspective relevant to controlled-environment and vertical farming.
• Jim Redmond — Founder, Yankee Creek LLC. Redmond brings an agronomy and farm-management perspective.
• Gaurav Sharma — Global Agribusiness Research Lead, Growth Markets Chemicals Research Lead, Accenture Solutions Private Ltd. Sharma brings a global consulting and market-research perspective.
• Sheikh Muhammad Noman — Founder & CEO, Pagasus Capital Investment. Noman brings an investment and capital-markets perspective.
• Amit Grover — Managing Partner, Grover & Company. Grover contributes an advisory and business-strategy perspective.
• Matt Lewis — Founder, Ophelia Partners LLC. Lewis brings an investment and partnership-building perspective.
• Dr. Sami Carouba — Senior Executive & Business Transformation Leader, Nikai Group of Companies. Dr. Carouba brings a corporate-transformation and diversified-industry perspective.
• Nico Tarvonen — CEO, Rayo 3D Biotech Ltd. Tarvonen joins Chairman Pekka Vallittu in bringing a biotechnology and advanced-materials perspective.

Connecting Agricultural Innovation With Business Impact

According to the organizers, what distinguishes the Dubai programme is its focus on the practical implications of agricultural innovation across multiple dimensions of business and sustainability. Rather than concentrating on any single technology or crop, the agenda examines climate-resilient farming, vertical and controlled-environment agriculture, institutional investment in agribusiness, specialty and export agriculture, and the workforce development needed to support sector-wide growth.

The speaker roster reflects this breadth, bringing together operators and executives from organizations including Pure Harvest Smart Farms, Al Dahra, Consolidated Pastoral Company, GreenSpire360, Global Farms, Safranatolia, Desert Tech Ventures, Infinite Acres, Rayo 3D Biotech, Hydrexa, Accenture, EXHub Holding and Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch, alongside institutional investment leadership from AAAID and government representation from the Royal Danish Consulate General in Dubai. Attendees tracking the programme in the coming months can watch for further speaker confirmations on the event portal, particularly for the standalone keynote slots not yet attributed to presenters.

Networking, Awards and Industry Engagement

Beyond the conference sessions, AgriNext Dubai will offer attendees an exhibition floor, an attendee directory, a forum, one-to-one chat and networking connections available through paid passes. Confirmed exhibitors currently include Next Business Media (Booth 101) and Champions Coffee (Booth 111), with a broad roster of media partners providing coverage.

The event portal also provides opportunities to speak, exhibit, sponsor, become a media partner, join as a thought leader or committee member, apply as an investor, apply to pitch as a startup, and nominate an individual or organization for the AgriNext Awards. The day culminates in the AgriNext Awards Ceremony, recognizing individuals and organizations driving innovation in agriculture.

Event Details

• Event: AgriNext Awards & Conference Dubai 2026
• Date: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
• Time: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM (GMT+4)
• Venue: Al Thuraya Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG
• Address: Salah Al Din St, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Passes: $199.00 – $4,049.00

Join AgriNext Dubai 2026

With agriculture moving rapidly from experimentation into scaled, technology-driven deployment, the AgriNext Awards & Conference Dubai 2026 is positioned as a meeting point for leaders looking at what comes next — from climate-resilient farming and vertical agriculture to institutional investment, specialty crops and workforce development.

Organizations, agribusiness leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals are invited to attend the full-day programme, hear from industry leaders, meet peers across the value chain through dedicated networking opportunities, and take part in the conversation shaping agriculture's future in the region. Those seeking a more active role can speak as a session panelist or keynote presenter, showcase products and services as an exhibitor or sponsor, partner as a media partner, join as a thought leader or committee member, or apply as an investor or startup pitch participant. Organizations and individuals driving meaningful agricultural innovation are also invited to submit nominations for the AgriNext Awards.

AgriNext Awards & Conference Dubai 2026 takes place on 21 October 2026 at Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira by IHG.

Official Event Portal:

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article and does not form part of nftenex.com's independent editorial content.