After dozens of interviews, countless conversations, and three intense days at World Seed Congress 2025, here’s the biggest theme I’ll be taking home from Istanbul.
There’s a moment at every great event where you pause — not because the program told you to, but because something hits you.
For me, that moment at World Seed Congress 2025 came not during a keynote or a gala, but in the middle of a candid pre-video chat. We were talking about the complexity of change — how the seed industry is being pulled in a dozen directions at once, from digital transformation to regulatory pressure to climate urgency. Then he said something simple that stuck: “We need to stay connected—not just through deals or data, but through trust.”
That line, I realized, could have been the unofficial theme of the entire Congress.
This week in Istanbul, more than 1,500 seed professionals from over 70 countries came together not just to talk, but to really listen. In every conversation I had — whether on or off camera — there was a shared sense of responsibility and momentum, across regions, borders and diverse parts of the value chain. We know the challenges ahead are real. But so is the opportunity to shape a future that’s smarter, more resilient, and more collaborative.
At a time when tension is rising in so many parts of the world—geopolitically, economically, environmentally — it might seem counterintuitive to lead with optimism. But that’s exactly what I heard over and over in Istanbul. And that optimism isn’t naïve — it’s very much grounded in the grind. The kind that sees farmers growing more with less. The kind that pushes breeders to rethink what “performance” means in an unpredictable climate. The kind that inspires technologists to build systems not just for speed, but for sustainability.
Over the course of this week, I sat down with leaders who spoke about the importance of local knowledge, the value of long-term partnerships, and the need to invest in people — not just platforms. These weren’t press release talking points. They were personal convictions, shared by people who understand that seed is more than a product. It’s a promise. One that requires integrity, foresight, and no small amount of courage.
To the International Seed Federation: thank you. Thank you for creating a space where these conversations happen. Where we don’t just celebrate what’s working but challenge each other on what still needs to change. Where the diversity of voices is seen not as noise, but as our greatest strength.
And to everyone I interviewed — thank you for your openness. Thank you for showing up not just as executives, but as human beings navigating one of the most consequential industries on the planet.
Walking away from the Congress, I don’t have all the answers. But I do have a few convictions that feel clearer than ever:
- The future belongs to the connected. Not the loudest. Not the biggest. It belongs to the most trusted.
- Innovation doesn’t mean faster. It means better. And better sometimes takes time.
- Collaboration is our only option. The problems are too complex — and too global — for siloed thinking.
As we all return home, let’s not let this momentum fade into the next email or deadline. Let’s stay curious, stay connected, and keep asking each other the hard questions.
Because if there’s one thing this week made clear, it’s this: when the seed sector comes together, the future feels a little less uncertain — and a lot more possible.
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