AIAG Congress 2025: a recap

What happened in Rotterdam?

More than 400 participants from 7 continents and 31 countries. Insurers, reinsurers, and stakeholders from the agricultural sector gathered in Rotterdam for the 38th AIAG Congress. This newsletter is a retrospective with articles and interviews with several speakers and a spotlight on three pioneering Dutch entrepreneurs.

During the official opening Pascal Forrer (AIAG President) mentioned three powerful forces: climate change, technological innovation and public-private collaboration. “All three have risks, but also opportunities. Let’s explore the future during this congress, which is much more than just a meeting. It’s a place to exchange ideas, build partnerships and create solutions together.”

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He realises better than anyone that a third of the Netherlands is below sea level. Co Verdaas has been Delta Programme Commissioner for almost two years and calls our country unique. "We are one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, but at the same time one of the best protected."

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Thomas Zacharias, President of NCIS, shared insights into the unique public-private crop insurance system in the United States. With billions in annual premiums and strong federal support, it has become one of the largest and most comprehensive insurance programs worldwide. Farmers see it as the cornerstone of agricultural stability.

Read the article including NCIS podcast

"Our fear is a 'no' to policy acceptance"

Upscaling, diversification and unpredictable weather make farm life more complex. At the same time insurability becomes challenging as insurers minimize their risk exposure. That is why Ger Koopmans, president of the Dutch Agriculture and Horticulture Association, has a clear message: “We must share more expertise to increase the knowledge of insurers.”

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During the gala dinner, Pascal Forrer (r) officially handed over the AIAG presidency to Daniele Caceffo (l).

Sustainable entrepreneurship in the Netherlands

Approximately half of the more than 400 participants at the AIAG Congress in Rotterdam come from agricultural families. They sat up a little straighter when three pioneering Dutch entrepreneurs shared their story.

Discover these unique entrepreneurs

How Europe prepares for crises in agri-food sector

The world is facing more and more uncertainties like extreme weather conditions. And also COVID worked as a wake-up call that food security is no longer a given. During the AIAG Congress Fabien Santini, Head of Unit Governance of agri-food markets (European Commission), explained how the EU prepares for food crises.

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Satellites as insurers’ copilots

What once seemed like science fiction is now reality: satellites guide insurers through droughts, wildfires and floods. Thanks to Planet Labs, near real-time imagery reveals the impact of natural disasters worldwide. Berend de Jong, Global Insurance & Finance Lead, shares how insurers are turning space technology into ground-level insights.

Insights from Berend

How tech is integrated in Indian crop insurance

Digitization and technology become more and more an important part of the Indian crop insurance market. Dilip Dange, General Manager and Chief Risk Officer of Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC), takes a deep dive in this new phenomenon.

An interview with Dilip

“It may seem like science fiction, but we are right in the middle of it”

Arnold van Vliet (Wageningen University) is a biologist and one of the keynote speakers at the AIAG Congress. He stresses the need to focus more on extremes. “We look too often at averages - average temperature rise or average rainfall, insurers included - while the biggest impacts occur during weather extremes.”

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