Ireland set to host landmark agri-summit on global food security
(Left to right) Michael Berkery, FBD Trust; Simon Coveney, former tánaiste and minister for agriculture, food and the marine; and Grainne Dwyer, chair of Nuffield Ireland, announced details of the Nuffield Agri Summit taking place on May 22. Picture: Justin Lunch
Ireland will take centre stage in global agriculture in May when it hosts the 2026 Nuffield Agri-Summit.
The event scheduled for May 22, will take place at the Killashee House Hotel in Naas, Co Kildare, and is expected to be a pivotal international gathering pushing back on common assumptions and shaping global debate and action on food security.
The summit, 'Feed the World – Our Responsibility?', is led by Nuffield Ireland as part of the global Nuffield International network encompassing over 1,700 scholars from 16 countries. This unique event is set to bring together a global cohort of Nuffield leaders alongside a gathering of senior figures from agribusiness, policy and economics.
The summit aims to address urgent and complex pressures facing global food systems, including the responsibilities of food-producing nations, the balance between domestic sustainability targets and global needs and obligations, the role of multinational agri-food corporates, how geo-politics is reshaping agri-food and the impact of managing geo-economic risks such as migrations, labour markets and demand patterns.
The event, sponsored by the FBD Trust, has confirmed internationally renowned economist David McWilliams as its headline speaker.
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An adjunct professor of Global Economics at Trinity College Dublin, author and podcaster, Mr McWilliams is widely respected for his incisive analysis of global economic trends and their effects on societies and industries. His address will offer a macroeconomic perspective on food security, trade dynamics, and global responsibility.
The summit programme will also feature a distinguished line-up of Irish and International speakers and panellists, including:
- Simon Coveney: former tánaiste and former minister for foreign affairs and minister for agriculture, food and the marine.
- Ksenija Simovic: senior policy advisor, Copa-Cogeca, Brussels.
- Marie Donnelly: chairperson, Climate Change Advisory Council.
- Professor Rogier Schulte: chair of Future Farming & Food Systems, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Speaking ahead of the event, newly appointed chair of Nuffield Ireland and Ireland’s first ever female Nuffield Scholar, Gráinne Dwyer said: “Hosting the Agri-Summit is a defining moment for Ireland.
"As a small nation with a global agricultural footprint, we sit at the intersection of innovation, responsibility and opportunity. The challenges facing global food security are immense, but so is our capacity to shape real solutions.
Our Agri-Summit is designed to test assumptions and sharpen leadership thinking, to forge together a sustainable path for global agriculture in an uncertain world.”
Chair of the FBD Trust, Michael Berkery, added: “As founder Investor of Nuffield Ireland, we are delighted and proud to sponsor the 2026 Nuffield Agri-Summit, a groundbreaking event in Ireland’s agricultural calendar.”
The event will conclude with a gala banquet featuring the 4th Earl of Iveagh, Edward Guinness, a significant figure in the agricultural sector, particularly in regenerative farming practices, in conversation with broadcaster Seán O’Rourke.
The Agri-Summit is the flagship event of the 14th Nuffield Triennial, which runs from 18–26 May 2026. Held every three years in a different member country, the Triennial fosters collaboration among Nuffield Scholars worldwide.
Ireland last hosted a Nuffield Triennial in 2008, and this year’s programme will see delegates undertake a nine-day study tour with visits to more than 30 dairy, sheep and mixed farms, agribusinesses and research bodies.
Tickets for the 2026 Nuffield Agri-Summit, including the gala banquet, are €175 and are expected to sell quickly. To register your place, visit the Nuffield website.
