As Euroseeds Congress 2026 draws to a close in Valencia, the conversations point to challenges and opportunities that extend far beyond the event. From seed sector resilience and InnovAction finalists to the NextGen Forum, the focus turns to translating promising ideas into practical progress for plant breeding.
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On the ground at Euroseeds 2026: A Note from the Editor
As Euroseeds approaches its final day, I always have the same two reactions. My feet are telling me it has been a busy few days, while my notebook is telling me the conversation has barely begun. There are people to follow up with, articles to pursue and questions that deserve more than five minutes between meetings. For me, that is a successful Congress.
One word has kept popping up in the programme: resilience. Yesterday’s Seed of the Union keynote addressed crisis preparedness and contingency planning. Fair enough. But resilience means more than having a plan for the next emergency. It also means having diverse crops, capable breeders, functioning seed supply chains and regulations that allow innovations to reach fields in time. You cannot create all of that with a policy statement. You need people and organisations willing to invest before the next crisis arrives.
The InnovAction Stage offered a glimpse of what some of those solutions could look like. Yesterday, Pewas was named the Euroseeds 2026 InnovAction winner, with Seed Forward taking second place and ENSEMO third. Congratulations to all three, but also to the other seven finalists. Their ideas may not all succeed, and that is part of innovation. What I would love to see is how many of those pitches turn into something a seed company can use, or a farmer can benefit from, in a few years’ time.
And the NextGen Forum, which continues this morning, takes that thought a step further. In our Seed Sector 2045 series, we have been looking at the future of plant breeding through climate adaptation, new technologies, competitiveness and intellectual property. But there is another question that deserves equal attention: who is going to do the work? Many of the students and young scientists participating today will be making key decisions long before 2045. We need to give them the skills, opportunities and freedom to question us, not just a seat at the back of the room.
I’ll be taking home several video interviews and, I suspect, another dozen story ideas. If your work deserves more attention, or your company is still the best kept secret in its corner of the seed sector, let’s talk. We’ll be at the Seed World Group Leadership Lounge on the ground floor, next to the Auditorium entrance. Come say hello before we all head home.
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