Two-day Congress Programme | The Donau Soja Congress

DONAU SOJA CONGRESS 2027
Programme

12 May 2027
13 May 2027

11:30

Registration and Networking lunch

13:00

Official opening

Opening keynote: Closing Europe's protein gap: From soy fields to strategic
supply
An overview of Europe’s protein sources landscape, presenting key facts and figures on production areas in Europe, where imports originate, and the trade flows, transport routes and critical chokepoints that shape supply. The keynote explores import dependencies, geopolitical risks, climate changes impact, setting the scene for the high-level panel on how regional protein supply chains and reliable cross-national partnerships can strengthen European food security.

High-level panel: Building Food security through regional protein resilience
Protein is an Achilles’ heel of European food security, spanning the entire value chain, natural resources, trade and economic stability. natural resources, trade and economic stability. How can Europe reduce supply dependencies, diversify protein sources and strengthen domestic production, while staying sustainable, economically viable and open
to reliable overseas supply?

Coffee and networking

Keynote: Farming under climate pressure: The strategic role of legumes
An evidence-based outlook on how extreme weather and shifting crop suitability are reshaping European agriculture, threatening yield stability and farm profitability. The
keynote explores the strategic role of legumes in diversifying cropping systems,
strengthening soil health and securing resilient, economically viable farming.

Panel: Farmers at the centre of Europe’s Protein Transition: voice from the field
Farmers from across Europe share practical lessons from growing protein crops: what works in the field, what makes a crop profitable and where barriers remain. What do they need from policymakers and market partners to manage risks, secure reliable buyers and make protein crops a lasting part of their farms?

Coffee & Networking

Parallel sessions: Strengthening regional protein value chains in the Three Seas
region
Three regional sessions build on regional production potential, resources and infrastructure. Focus areas are supply-chain gaps, processing and logistics capacity, and cross-border cooperation and investment. Key takeaways are shared in the plenary that follows.

Plenary: Connecting regional perspectives: Key takeaways and shared priorities
This plenary brings together the key takeaways from the three parallel breakout sessions, highlighting regional opportunities, shared challenges and priorities for cooperation and investment to strengthen protein value chains across the Three Seas region.

19:30

Networking dinner

8:30

Welcome coffee

Keynote: Turn consumer trends into reliable market demand for European
legumes
Growing interest in healthy, sustainable, protein-rich food can become stable market demand. The keynote looks at consumer trends, regional food models, and the roles of policy, business, education and the consumer as an active driver of change.

Panel: Scaling up European legume value chains: From fragmented supply to reliable markets
What will it take to bring European legumes to scale? The panel explores how to overcome fragmented supply, inconsistent quality and processing and logistics gaps through coordinated investment, reliable buyer commitments, transparent pricing and fair risk sharing.

Coffee and networking

Parallel sessions: Innovation in action across the protein value chain
Three thematic rooms explore innovation from field to food and feed.
• Future diets, food culture and innovation
• Feed security and livestock competitiveness
• Agriculture innovation for viable protein crops production

Panel: From field to market. Making feed and food value chains more efficient
How can farmers, processors, food manufacturers and retailers build a functional market for European legumes? This panel brings together key takeaways from three parallel thematic rooms on future diets and food culture, feed security and livestock competitiveness, and agricultural innovation.

Panel: Who will finance and share the risk to make protein crops viable?
What will make European protein crops competitive, from on farm production to storage, processing and logistics—and who will pay? The panel explores how insurance, transition finance and public support can reduce farmers’ risks and enable investment across the value chain.

12:30

Networking lunch

Closing panel: From the EU Protein Action Plan and Livestock Strategy to national implementation
How can EU policy deliver results on the ground? The panel looks at what the Protein Action Plan and Livestock Strategy mean for the Three Seas Region, and which priorities, partnerships and investments are needed for regional and national implementation.

16:30

Closing the congress