FORSAID showcases innovative technologies for forest pest detection and monitoring at the EU AgRI 2040 Conference in Brussels

The Belgian capital of Brussels hosted the EU AgRI 2040 conference on 24 and 25 September 2026. The European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) organised the event under the theme "Future-proofing EU Agri-Food through research and innovation". It introduced the EU's new strategic approach to research and innovation for competitive, resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems. To discuss this evolving direction of future EU research and innovation, the conference brought together policy-makers, researchers, farmers, foresters, businesses, start-ups, advisers, NGOs and other stakeholders. Their input also helped shape the priorities of the next EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme and the future European Competitiveness Fund (ECF).

More specifically, participants exchanged ideas and co-identified aspects of importance across nine thematic breakout sessions. The topics included climate change and biodiversity, cropping and livestock systems, the bioeconomy, rural areas and stronger agri-food value chains. Two of the sessions related directly to FORSAID's work - оne focused on multifunctional forests, while the other examined digitalisation, artificial intelligence and robotics.

Alongside this format, the conference featured an exhibition as well. FORSAID was represented there by Project Manager Andree Cappellari (University of Padua) who introduced the project’s innovative tools and technologies for the early detection and monitoring of forest pests to attendees. The stand where the showcase took place was dedicated to forests and brought the initiative together with fellow Horizon Europe project SMURF, which in turn is developing sustainable and profitable management and business models for small forest holdings in Europe. SMURF’s coordinator, Álvaro Picardo Nieto from CESEFOR, attended on behalf of the consortium. The shared booth provided an opportunity to present FORSAID to a wide range of visitors, including decision-makers, researchers, stakeholders and entrepreneurs, as well as to establish new contacts for the project.

Beyond the showcase at the stand, discussions at the conference highlighted several themes closely connected to FORSAID. These included multifunctional and resilient forests, remote and proximal sensing, artificial intelligence, drones, data sharing and the practical uptake of innovative technologies. A recurring message in this context was that research must respond to the real needs of stakeholders and end users through co-creation, demonstration and stronger connections between science, practice and policy. Moreover, this message complements FORSAID's own approach, which includes in-person demonstration workshops on the project's smart traps and AI-powered identification technologies.

All in all, the EU AgRI 2040 conference gave FORSAID the chance to present its work to governance and other stakeholder circles as the EU plans the next generation of research and innovation for agriculture, forestry and rural areas. More information on the event is available on the event's official website. You can also explore FORSAID's specific objectives and target species here.