Are we all suffering panel fatigue? The revolution defining the evoke^AG. 2025 program

Creating events was completely new to me when I joined AgriFutures Australia. If I am honest, I probably saw them all as conferences, but how wrong I was.

Seven months into my role AgriFutures role I had a baptism of fire – evoke^AG. 2024.

The event sold out for the fourth time; 1,880 delegates attending from 21 countries and welcomed the most partners and tickets sold to date.

Yet, as a team and through listening to feedback, we knew we could do more. We could push the boundaries. It was time for not only evolution of the brand, but also revolution.

In building the plans for evoke^AG. 2025 in Brisbane, 18-19 February, it has been great to reflect on the 2024 event, but also three pivotal realisations I’ve had attending events across the globe.

1. Death of the panel?

A panel is the default in a conference program – and it feels like we’re all suffering panel fatigue.

The most popular sessions at evoke^AG. 2024 was the Great Exchange and a technical keynote by Professor Richard Eckhard. This has prompted the AgriFutures team to completely change the approach to programming.

The popularity of the Great Exchange between Olympia Yarger and Justin Webb highlighted the importance of changing up formats, but orchestrating what Priya Parker calls in her book The Art of Gathering, “good controversy”.

The conversation between Olympia and Justin was so impactful because it embraced good controversy – it stirred the audience to reflect on the hard truths around Australia agtech’s persona and the current statistics around investment into female founders.

RELATED: Leading the charge with Sally-Ann Williams and Olympia Yarger

As Priya Parker says, “Good controversy helps us re-examine what we hold dear; our values, priorities and nonnegotiables… when it works, it is clarifying and cleansing- and a forceful antidote to bullshit”.

Common Ground is the theme for evoke^AG. 2025, but it’s clear to the evoke^AG. team that there really isn’t much Common Ground when it comes to many big challenges facing agriculture: the current skills gap, application of new innovation such as AI or gene editing, regulation, and perhaps most familiar to most, the pathway to net zero.

There is a risk that the theme Common Ground results in a lot of high-level conversations that feature buzzwords. Partnerships, building bridges, new horizons and growth, anyone?

Our sessions for 2025 are designed to allow for vulnerability, less rehearsed conversations and provocative prompts.

Richard Eckhard’s technical presentation and its popularity flagged the importance of education as part of a program. This has shifted our approach towards breakouts for the 2025 program with sessions either showcasing innovation and technology or providing education to our attendees.

In June 2024 I attended E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit in Palmerston in Manawatu, New Zealand. Of the 200 attendees, every one attended every session on the program.

Harriet Mellish at E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit with Dr Kioumars Ghamkhar, Founder of AI-based weed identification and laser technology system Map & Zap.

RELATED: Seeding success across the Trans-Tasman: New Zealand opportunities open to Australia

They were there to hear the latest in thought leadership, and some of the strongest presentations came from young innovators. This provided reassurance that our ongoing focus on Future Young Leaders is correct.

I’m excited that for 2025 this program will be refreshed as the evoke^AG. Groundbreakers program with each of the five participants having the opportunity to present in the main plenary.

2. Networking by design

Meaningful connections. The feedback survey from evoke^AG. 2024 told us that’s the number one thing our attendees want out of evoke^AG.

I reflected on this. How can we make networking more inclusive?

As an introvert, networking is an effort, but it is something I have trained myself to do.

We want delegates to leave evoke^AG. 2025 energised. We want them to have formed connections that will support them in using innovation to challenge those wicked problems we face. But this networking doesn’t just happen – it needs to be by design.

Enter “Connect and Collaborate” rooms on the evoke^AG. 2025 program. Personally, if I’m interested in a topic I can chat for ages. Swiss psychologist Carl Jung called this “relaxing into extroversion”.

If I meet someone and we start talking about supply chain traceability or consumer focused innovation I light up. Ask me about  deeptech or just general small talk and my comfort levels drop, and I am searching for an opportunity to wrap up the conversation.

The World Agri-Tech series does Roundtables well and at Singapore International Agrifood Week (SIAW) I formed valuable connections.

RELATED: Reframing the ‘down under’ narrative: Reflections from World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit

Another essential element of networking at an event is the event app. AI matching and the ability to book meetings are a necessity, not optional. My favourite app was in action at F&A Next, featuring a functionality called “Quests”.

Delegates could write a post on a noticeboard on the types of people or organisations you were looking to connect with, and what you could offer. It was almost like an old fashion dating ad of my parents’ era. However, it was highly effectively and helped me in a securing several meetings that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.

3. Diverse talent and perspectives

I have seen too many white, male and stale panels. I am not saying these weren’t interesting or entertaining, but it certainly gave me an ick.

Diverse talent and perspectives need to be at the forefront of any event organiser. A diverse panel regardless of gender with different perspectives should enrich the conversation.

RELATED: Let 100 flowers really bloom: how a lack of diversity in agrifood is holding it back

I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine who has facilitated panels events at New York Climate week and COP.

We often reflect upon diversity in the event program and three topics often pop up:

• Utilisation of female moderators to improve an events gender representation

It’s lazy and, in some ways, insulting. My friend at times has felt like she was invited as the token female or has had to push for greater representation on the panel. There are women who can offer insight and perspective, but you must search for it. This is not gender specific, but the CEO or MD aren’t always the best speakers, and you need to look below the C-suite.

• Diversity isn’t just gender

Rather, it’s about finding perspectives from nontraditional groups as well as from across the supply chain. In the agrifood space you often find primary producers are not in the room or on the stage.

• With diversity comes differing opinions – and that’s a good thing

If you are successful in getting diversity, we need to understand that this may bring in different communication styles or a focus on consensus building that can influence the overall energy of a panel.

This may not always be well received particularly if delegates are seeking what Priya Parker coins “good controversy”. Women tend to emphasise collaboration, be more empathetic and actively listen, whilst men may lean towards assertiveness and directness. There is also unconscious bias at play which can affect how we evaluate speakers. I went to an event where there was a great female MC. One comment I heard was that she was “too nice”.

RELATED: Attention agrifood tech innovators: Applications now open for the evoke^AG. 2025 Startup Program

The evoke^AG. 2025 program is preparing for launch and the focus is clear: to create an event that challenges the norm and sparks real change. By rethinking how we engage, connect, and elevate diverse voices, we’re shaping a space that goes beyond buzzwords and into meaningful action. Bold discussions. Curated networking. Showcasing the brightest minds. evoke^AG. 2025 is set to be more than just an event—it’s the start of a new chapter for agrifood innovation.